THE  RELIGIOUS  FORCES 


OF  THE 


UNITED  STATES 

ENUMERATED,  CLASSIFIED,  AND  DESCRIBED 


RETURNS  FOR  1900  AND  1910  COMPARED   WITH   THE  GOVERNMENT 
CENSUS  OF  1890 


CONDITION  AND  CHARACTERISTICS 
OF  CHRISTIANITY  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 


BY 

H.  K.  CARROLL,  LL.D. 

IN    CHARGE   OF   THE   DIVISION   OF   CHURCHES,   ELEVENTH    CENSUS 


REVISED    AND    BROUGHT    DOWN    TO    1910 


NEW  YORK 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 
1912 


Copyright,  !893 
BY  THE  CHRISTIAN  LITERATTTWE  COMPANY 


Copyright,  191  a 
BY  CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 


CONTENTS. 


INTRODUCTION 
PART  I. — RESULTS  or  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890. 

SECTION  PAGE 

1.  THE  SOURCES  OF  INFORMATION  AND  THE  PLAN ix 

2.  THE  SCOPE  AND  METHOD  OF  THE  CENSUS xi 

3.  VARIETY  IN  RELIGION xiii 

4.  CLASSIFICATION  OF  THE  CHURCHES xv 

5.  DENOMINATIONAL  TITLES xviii 

6.  THE  CAUSES  OF  DIVISION xxiii 

7.  ANALYSIS  OF  RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES xxviii 

8.  RELIGIOUS  POPULATION xxxiii 

9.  THE  GROWTH  OF  THE  CHURCHES xxxv 

10.  Plow  THE  RELIGIOUS  FORCES  ARE  DISTRIBUTED xxxviii 

11.  THE  EVANGELICAL  AND  NON-EVANGELICAL  ELEMENTS xliii 

12.  THE  GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES xlvi 

13.  THE  NEGRO  IN  HIS  RELATIONS  TO  THE  CHURCH 1 

PART  II. — THE  GOVERNMENT  CENSUS  OF  1906. 

1.  SEX  IN  MEMBERSHIP Ivii 

2.  VALUE  OF  CHURCH  PROPERTY. lix 

3.  AVERAGE  OF  MEMBERS  TO  CHURCH  EDIFICES Ixi 

4.  TENDENCY  OF  POPULATION  TO  THE  CITIES Ixi 

5.  COMMUNICANTS  IN  THE  CITIES Ixii 

6.  VALUE  OF  CHURCH  PROPERTY  IN  THE  CITIES Ixiii 

7.  GROWTH  BY  STATES  IN  COMMUNICANTS Ixiv 

iii 


263675 


iv  CONTENTS. 

SECTION  PAGE 

8.  THE  RATE  OF  GROWTH  IN  THE  SOUTH Ixv 

9.  THE  LARGEST  ABSOLUTE  INCREASES Ixvii 

10.    EFFECT  OF  MIGRATION Ixxiii 

PART  III. — THE  RETURNS  FOR  1900  AND  1910  AND  WHAT  THEY  SHOW. 

1.  GROWTH  OF  THE  CHURCHES  IN  THE  PAST  TWENTY  YEARS Ixxi 

2.  THE  LARGEST  ABSOLUTE  INCREASES Ixxi 

3.  GROWTH  OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH Ixxi 

4.  RELIGIOUS  POPULATION  IN  1910 Ixxii 

5.  CHANGES  OF  TWENTY  YEARS Ixxiii 

6.  ORDER  ACCORDING  TO  DENOMINATIONAL  FAMILIES  OR  GROUPS  .  Ixxv 

PART  IV. — DOMINANT  RELIGIOUS  ELEMENTS. 

1.  THE  CHARACTERISTICS  OF  AMERICAN  CHRISTIANITY Ixxvii 

2.  EVANGELICAL  CHRISTIANITY  DOMINANT Ixxx 

3.  EVANGELICAL  CHRISTIANITY  SYSTEMATICALLY  ORGANIZED Ixxxi 

4.  EVANGELICAL  CHRISTIANITY  EVANGELISTIC Ixxxiii 

5.  CO-OPERATION,  FEDERATION  AND  UNION Ixxxiv 

6.  How  THE  CHURCH  AFFECTS  SOCIETY Ixxxvi 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  THE  ADVENTTSTS i 

II.  THE  BAPTISTS 16 

III.  THE  RIVER  BRETHREN 55 

IV.  THE  PLYMOUTH  BRETHREN 59 

V.  THE  CATHOLICS 66 

VI.    THE  CATHOLIC  APOSTOLIC  CHURCH 84 

VII.    CHINESE  TEMPLES 86 

VIII.    THE  CHRISTADELPHIANS ^._. 89 


CONTENTS.  v 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

IX.  THE  CHRISTIANS 91 

X.  THE  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONARY  ASSOCIATION 95 

XI.  THE  CHRISTIAN  SCIENTISTS 96 

XII.  THE  CHRISTIAN  UNION  CHURCHES 99 

XIII.  THE  CHURCH  OF  GOD 102 

XIV.  THE  CHURCH  TRIUMPHANT  (SCHWEINFURTH) 105 

XV.  CHURCH  OF  THE  NEW  JERUSALEM 107 

XVI.  COMMUNISTIC  SOCIETIES in 

XVII.  THE  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCHES 119 

XVIII.  THE  DISCIPLES  OF  CHRIST 125 

XIX.  THE  DUNKARDS 129 

XX.  THE  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION 139 

XXI.  THE  FRIENDS 143 

XXII.  FRIENDS  OF  THE  TEMPLE 153 

XXIII.  THE  GERMAN  EVANGELICAL  PROTESTANT  CHURCH 155 

XXIV.  THE  GERMAN  EVANGELICAL  SYNOD 156 

XXV.  THE  JEWS 159  • 

XXVI.  THE  LATTER-DAY  SAINTS 165  • 

XXVII.  THE  EVANGELICAL  LUTHERANS 175 

XXVIII.  THE  MENNONTTES 206 

XXIX.  THE  METHODISTS 221. 

XXX.  THE  MORAVIANS 272 

XXXI.  THE  PRESBYTERIANS 277  • 

XXXII.  PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  BODIES 317   - 

XXXIII.  THE  REFORMED  BODIES 329 

XXXIV.  THE  SALVATION  ARMY 340* 

XXXV.  THE  SCHWENKFELDIANS 344 

XXXVI.  THE  SOCIAL  BRETHREN  CHURCH 346 

XXXVII.  THE  SOCIETY  FOR  ETHICAL  CULTURE 348* 

XXXVIII.  THE  SPIRITUALISTS.  .  350 


vi  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XXXIX.    THE  THEOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY 353 

XL.    THE  UNITED  BRETHREN 355 

XLI.    THE  UNITARIANS 365 

XLII.  .  THE  UNTVERSALISTS 369 

XLIII.    INDEPENDENT  CONGREGATIONS 376 

GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 

TABLE  PAGE 

I.    SUMMARY  BY  STATES  OF  ALL  DENOMINATIONS 378 

II.    SUMMARY  OF  INDIVIDUAL  DENOMINATIONS 380 

III.  SUMMARY  OF  DENOMINATIONAL  FAMILIES 392 

IV.  SUMMARY  OF  DENOMINATIONS  ACCORDING  TO  NUMBER   OF 

COMMUNICANTS 394 

V.    DENOMINATIONAL    FAMILIES    ACCORDING    TO    NUMBER    OF 

COMMUNICANTS 397 

VI.    DENOMINATIONS  CLASSIFIED  ACCORDING  TO  POLITY 398 

VII.    SUMMARY  OF  COLORED  ORGANIZATIONS 400 

VIII.    CHURCHES  IN  CITIES 404 

STATISTICAL  SUMMARY  BY  STATES  ACCORDING  TO  THE  CENSUS  OF  1906  417 

STATISTICAL  TABLES  FOR  1900  AND  1910 463 

INDEX 479 


CONDITION  AND  CHARACTERISTICS 
OF  CHRISTIANITY  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 


IN  FOUR  PARTS 


PART  I.— RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890. 

The  purpose  of  this  volume  is  to  describe  and  classify 
all  denominations,  with  statistical  exhibits,  so  as  to  give  a 
clear  idea  of  the  character  and  strength  of  the  religious 
forces  of  the  United  States,  as  represented  by  ecclesiastical 
organizations. 

i.  THE  SOURCES  OF  INFORMATION  AND  THE  PLAN. — The 
body  of  this  volume  is  occupied  by  the  results  of  the  United 
States  Census  of  Religious  Denominations  taken  in  1890. 
Some  results  of  the  government  census  of  1906  are  also 
furnished,  and  statistical  summaries  for  1900  and  1910, 
gathered  by  the  author  from  denominational  sources, 
official  and  unofficial,  published  and  unpublished,  and  so 
arranged  as  to  show  the  gains  and  the  losses  for  each  dec- 
ade and  changes  in  the  list  of  denominations  by  union  or 
division,  by  dissolution  or  creation. 

The  government  report  for  1890  is  very  voluminous.  It 
makes  the  county  the  civil  unit  and  the  classis,  conference, 
diocese,  presbytery,  synod,  etc.,  the  ecclesiastical  unit. 
That  is,  the  statistics  of  each  denomination  are  given  by 
counties  and  States  and  by  dioceses,  presbyteries,  confer- 
ences, etc.,  and  denominations.  In  this  volume  it  is  deemed 
sufficient  to  give  summaries  by  States  and  Territories  and 
by  conferences,  dioceses,  etc.,  advising  those  who  want 
more  minute  details  to  consult  the  census  volumes.  The 


x  CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

descriptive  accounts  are,  in  the  main,  those  prepared  for 
the  census  of  1890.  Their  object  is  to  show  the  general 
characteristics  of  denominational  families,  or  groups;  to 
give  the  date,  place,  and  circumstances  of  the  origin  of  each 
denomination,  together  with  its  peculiarities  in  doctrine, 
polity,  and  usage;  to  state  the  cause  of  every  division,  and 
to  indicate  the  differences  which  separate  branches  bearing 
the  same  family  name. 

The  order  of  the  alphabet  is  followed  in  presenting  the 
denominations.  The  first  chapter  is  given  to  the  Advent- 
ists,  the  second  to  the  Baptists,  and  so  on  through  the  list. 
A  different  rule  is  observed,  however,  in  the  arrangement 
of  the  branches  of  denominational  families  or  groups.  The 
stem,  or  oldest  body,  is  given  the  first  place,  and  the  others 
appear  in  chronological  order,  according  to  the  date  of  their 
origin,  except  in  cases  where  there  has  been  one  or  more 
divisions  in  a  branch.  To  illustrate,  let  us  take  the  Ad- 
ventist  family.  The  Evangelical  branch  is  generally  con- 
ceded to  be  the  oldest.  The  Advent  Christians  are  second 
in  the  order  of  time,  and  the  Seventh-Day  body  third. 
The  Life  and  Advent  Union  would  be  fourth,  were  it  not 
that  the  Church  of  God,  which  is  more  recent,  is  a  division 
of  or  secession  from  the  Seventh-Day  branch.  The  Church 
of  God  therefore  occupies  the  fourth  place,  next  to  its 
parent  body.  The  same  rule  applies  to  the  arrangement 
of  Methodist  and  other  branches.  The  historical  order 
has  been  observed  because  it  is  the  more  logical  and  con- 
venient. The  alphabetical  order  would  inevitably  lead  to 
confusion  and  frequent  and  unnecessary  repetition  in  the 
descriptive  accounts;  and  arrangement  according  to  numer- 
ical strength  would  be  open  to  the  same  objection.  The 
method  chosen  allows  the  reader  to  follow  the  historical 
development  of  every  denominational  group  and  study  the 
causes  of  each  successive  division  in  the  order  in  which  it 


RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890.  xi 

occurred.  The  historical  rule  is  not  strictly  followed  in  all 
cases.  For  example,  the  Unitarian  Churches,  though  histor- 
ically an  outgrowth  of  the  Congregational  denomination, 
are  separately  presented,  because  they  have  long  been  a 
distinct  body,  differing  widely  in  doctrine  from  the  parent 
body  and  resembling  it  chiefly  in  ecclesiastical  form. 

2.  THE  SCOPE  AND  METHOD  or  THE  CENSUS  OF  1900. — 
The  census  of  1890  was  the  first  successful  effort  of  the 
government  in  this  direction.  In  1850,  1860,  and  1870 
religious  statistics  were  gathered  by  United  States  marshals 
or  their  agents.  In  the  censuses  of  1850  and  1860  three 
items  only  were  given,  viz.,  churches,  church  accommoda- 
tions, and  value  of  church  property.  In  1870  a  distinction 
was  made  between  churches  or  church  societies  and  church 
edifices,  thus  making  an  additional  item.  In  1880  large 
preparations  were  made  for  a  census  which  should  not  only 
be  thorough,  but  exhaustive  in  the  number  of  its  inquiries. 
A  vast  mass  of  detailed  information  was  obtained;  but  the 
appropriations  were  exhausted  before  it  was  tabulated,  and 
the  results  were  wholly  lost.  Having  been  appointed  in 
1889  by  the  Hon.  Robert  P.  Porter,  superintendent  of  the 
eleventh  census,  to  the  charge  of  this  division  of  the  census 
office,  the  author  of  this  volume  determined  to  make  the 
scope  of  the  inquiry  broad  enough  to  embrace  the  necessary 
items  of  information,  and  narrow  enough  to  insure  success 
in  collecting,  tabulating,  and  publishing  them,  and  to  de- 
vise a  method  of  collecting  the  statistics  which  would  serve 
the  ends  of  accuracy,  completeness,  and  promptness.  It 
was  in  some  sense  to  be  a  pioneer  effort,  and  the  plan  and 
methods  adopted  were  designed  to  bring  success  within  the 
range  of  possibility.  The  scope  of  the  inquiry  of  1880  was 
therefore  greatly  reduced.  Many  questions  which,  if  fully 
answered,  would  yield  desirable  information  were  omitted 
from  the  census  of  1890,  which  covers  these  points:  (i) 


xii  CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

organizations  or  congregations;  (2)  church  edifices;  (3) 
seating  capacity;  (4)  other  places  of  worship,  with  (5)  their 
seating  capacity;  (6)  value  of  church  property;  (7)  com- 
municants or  members.  The  number  of  ministers  is  also 
given  in  the  totals  for  denominations. 

Great  diversity,  as  every  ecclesiastical  student  knows, 
exists  in  the  statistical  schemes  of  the  various  denomina- 
tions. Some  embrace  many,  others  few,  items;  some  give 
congregations  or  societies,  but  not  edifices;  others  edifices 
but  not  societies;  some  report  value  of  church  property, 
while  others  do  not;  most  give  members  or  communi- 
cants, while  one,  the  chief est  of  all,1  gives  only  population. 
There  are  also  as  many  varieties  of  the  statistical  year  as 
there  are  months.  Moreover,  quite  a  number  of  denomina- 
tions have  never  made  any  returns  whatever.  These  con- 
siderations suggest  the  great  difficulty  of  securing  anything 
like  uniformity  in  the  returns;  but  uniformity  was  kept 
steadily  in  view,  and  it  was  attained.  All  denominations 
thus  appear  in  the  census  of  1890  on  the  same  statistical 
basis.  For  the  first  time  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  was 
represented  by  communicants,  and  not  by  population. 

The  method  of  gathering  the  statistics  was  to  make  the 
presbytery,  the  classis,  the  association,  the  synod,  the  dio- 
cese, the  conference,  etc.,  the  unit  in  the  division  of  the 
work,  and  to  ask  the  clerk  or  moderator  or  statistical  sec- 
retary of  each  to  obtain  the  desired  information  from  the 
churches  belonging  to  his  presbytery,  association,  or  dio- 
cese, as  the  case  might  be.  This  officer  received  full  in- 
structions how  to  proceed,  and  sufficient  supplies  of  cir- 
culars, schedules,  etc.,  to  communicate  with  each  church. 
This  method  proved  to  be  quite  practicable,  and  very  sat- 
isfactory. Several  thousand  agents  thus  gave  information 
which  they  were  best  qualified  to  secure,  and  the  results 

1  Roman  Catholic. 


RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890.  xiii 

were  found,  when  tests  were  applied,  to  be  full  and  accu- 
rate. I  may  mention  that,  having  a  large  force  of  clerks 
with  ample  supplies,  a  vast  correspondence  was  conducted. 
For  example,  desiring  to  obtain  a  complete  list  of  Lutheran 
congregations  unattached  to  synods,  a  letter  of  inquiry  was 
addressed  to  every  Lutheran  minister  asking  him  to  report 
any  such  congregations  in  his  neighborhood.  In  this  way, 
much  information,  otherwise  unattainable,  was  received. 

It  should  be  understood  that  the  census  enumerators, 
who  take  the  population  by  domiciliary  visitation,  are  not 
allowed  to  ask  individuals  as  to  their  religious  connections. 
In  the  first  place,  they  have  but  a  brief  time  in  which  to 
complete  their  work;  in  the  second  place,  their  schedules 
are  already  overburdened  with  inquiries;  and  in  the  third 
place,  the  constitutional  pro  vision,  of  the  First  Amendment, 
restraining  Congress  from  making  any  "Law  respecting  an 
establishment  of  religion,  or  prohibiting  the  free  exercise 
thereof,"  is  interpreted  as  forbidding  it.  Many  persons 
would,  under  this  constitutional  guarantee,  refuse  to  an- 
swer questions  as  to  their  religious  faith,  and  it  is  doubtful 
whether  the  courts  would  not  uphold  them  in  their  refusal. 
The  census  authorities  believed  that  it  would  add  greatly 
to  the  difficulties  of  a  successful  enumeration  if  some  ques- 
tions were  mandatory  and  some  not.  This  is  the  reason 
we  cannot  have  in  this  country  what  the  census  reports  of 
Canada,  Australia,  and  certain  other  countries  include — 
statistics  of  religious  populations. 

3.  VARIETY  IN  RELIGION. — The  first  impression  one  gets 
in  studying  the  results  of  the  census  is  that  there  is  an  in- 
finite variety  of  religions  in  the  United  States.  There  are 
Churches  small  and  Churches  great,  Churches  white  and 
Churches  black,  Churches  high  and  low,  orthodox  and  heter- 
odox, Christian  and  pagan,  Catholic  and  Protestant,  Liberal 
and  Conservative,  Calvinistic  and  Arminian,  native  and 


xiv  CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

foreign,  Trinitarian  and  Unitarian.  All  phases  of  thought 
are  represented  by  them,  all  possible  theologies,  all  varieties 
of  polity,  ritual,  usage,  forms  of  worship.  In  our  economical 
policy  as  a  nation  we  have  emphasized  the  importance  of 
variety  in  industry.  We  like  the  idea  of  manufacturing  or 
producing  just  as  many  articles  of  merchandise  as  possible. 
We  have  invented  more  curious  and  useful  things  than  any 
other  nation.  In  matters  of  religion  we  have  not  been  less 
liberal  and  enterprising.  We  seem  to  have  about  every 
variety  known  to  other  countries,  with  not  a  few  peculiar  to 
ourselves.  Our  native  genius  for  invention  has  exerted  it- 
self in  this  direction  also,  and  worked  out  some  curious  re- 
sults. The  American  patent  covers  no  less  than  two  orig- 
inal Bibles — the  Mormon  and  Oahspe — and  more  brands 
of  religion,  so  to  speak,  than  are  to  be  found,  I  believe,  in  any 
other  country.  This  we  speak  of  as  "  the  land  of  the  free. " 
No  man  has  a  property  in  any  other  man,  or  a  right  to  dic- 
tate his  religious  principles  or  denominational  attachment. 
No  Church  has  a  claim  on  the  State,  and  the  State  has  no 
claim  on  any  Church.  We  scarcely  appreciate  our  advan- 
tages. Our  citizens  are  free  to  choose  a  residence  in  any 
one  of  fifty  States  and  Territories,  and  to  move  from  one 
to  another  as  often  as  they  have  a  mind  to.  There  is  even 
a  wider  range  for  choice  and  change  in  religion.  One  may 
be  a  pagan,  a  Jew,  or  a  Christian,  or  each  in  turn.  If  he 
is  a  pagan,  he  may  worship  in  one  of  the  numerous  temples 
devoted  to  Buddha;  if  a  Jew,  he  may  be  of  the  Orthodox 
or  Reformed  variety;  if  a  Christian,  he  may  select  any  one 
of  125  or  130  different  kinds,  or  join  every  one  of  them  in 
turn.  He  may  be  six  kinds  of  an  Adventist,  seven  kinds 
of  a  Catholic,  twelve  kinds  of  a  Mennonite  or  Presbyterian, 
thirteen  kinds  of  a  Baptist,  sixteen  kinds  of  a  Lutheran,  or 
seventeen  kinds  of  a  Methodist.  He  may  be  a  member  of 
any  one  of  143  denominations,  or  of  all  in  succession.  If 


RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1S90.  xv 

none  of  these  suit  him,  he  still  has  a  choice  among  150 
separate  and  independent  congregations,  which  have  no 
denominational  name,  creed,  or  connection.  Any  resident 
of  the  United  States  is  perfectly  free  to  make  himself  at 
home  with  any  of  these  religious  companies,  and  to  stay 
with  each  as  long  or  as  short  a  time  as  he  will.  We  some- 
times speak  as  though  there  were  not  sufficient  freedom  of 
thought.  Here  are  many  phases  of  thought,  and  any  man 
may  pass,  if  he  will,  without  hindrance  through  them  all. 

A  closer  scrutiny  of  the  list,  however,  shows  that  many 
of  these  143  denominations  differ  only  in  name.  Without 
a  single  change  in  doctrine  or  polity,  the  eighteen  Meth- 
odist bodies  could  be  reduced  to  three  or  four;  the  twelve 
Presbyterian  to  three;  the  twelve  Mennonite  to  two;  and 
so  on.  The  differences  in  many  cases  are  only  sectional  or 
historical.  The  slavery  question  was  the  cause  of  not  a 
few  divisions,  and  matters  of  discipline  were  responsible  for 
a  large  number.  Arranging  the  denominations  in  groups 
or  families,  and  counting  as  one  family  each  the  twelve 
Mennonite,  the  seventeen  Methodist,  the  thirteen  Baptist 
bodies,  and  so  on,  we  have,  instead  of  143,  only  42  titles. 
In  other  words,  if  there  could  be  a  consolidation  of  each 
denominational  group,  the  reproach  of  our  division  would 
be  largely  taken  away. 

4.  CLASSIFICATION  OF  THE  CHURCHES. — In  order  to  get 
a  comprehensive  idea  of  the  numerous  religious  bodies  it 
is  necessary  to  classify  them.  This  is  a  much  simpler 
matter  than  might,  at  first  sight,  be  supposed.  They  fall 
naturally  into  three  grand  divisions,  Christian,  Jewish,  and 
miscellaneous.  The  Christian  division  we  divide  into 
classes,  as  Catholic  and  Protestant,  and  Evangelical  and 
non-Evangelical.  Quite  independently  of  this  classification 
we  have  denominational  groups,  or  families. 

Under  the  head  miscellaneous  I  would  include  Chinese 


xvi  CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

and  Japanese,  Buddhists,  the  Theosophists,  and  the 
Ethical  Culturists.  This  is  a  very  small  and  insignificant 
division.  The  Jewish  division  embraces  simply  the  Ortho- 
dox and  Reformed  Jews.  The  Christian  division  contains, 
of  course,  the  great  majority  of  denominations  and  believers 
— Catholics,  Protestants,  Latter-Day  Saints — all  bodies  not 
Jewish  or  pagan. 

I  consider  as  a  denominational  family  all  Methodist 
bodies.  They  are  branches  with  a  common  stem,  a  com- 
mon name,  a  common  type  of  doctrine,  and  certain  com- 
mon features  and  usages.  I  consider  as  a  denominational 
family  all  Presbyterian  bodies.  They  all  go  back  to  the 
same  source  historically,  they  have  the  same  name,  the 
same  confession  of  faith,  with  two  or  three  exceptions,  and 
the  same  system  of  government.  I  also  class  the  various 
Lutheran  bodies  as  a  denominational  family,  the  numerous 
Baptist  bodies,  and  so  on.  A  denominational  family,  there- 
fore, is  a  number  of  branches  closely  affiliated  in  history 
and  in  common  characteristics.  Nowhere  have  denomina- 
tional families  developed  as  in  the  United  States.  In  no 
quarter  of  the  globe  have  the  Lutherans  or  the  Methodists, 
the  Presbyterians  or  the  Baptists,  the  Friends  or  the  Men- 
nonites,  separated  into  so  many  branches  as  here  in  this 
land  of  perfect  civil  and  religious  liberty. 

It  was  an  American  Presbyterian,  in  the  great  gathering 
of  Presbyterians  of  all  lands,  in  Belfast,  Ireland,  some 
years  ago,  who  exclaimed,  alluding  to  a  reference  to  the 
"U.  P's."  of  Scotland,  and  other  branches,  "We  are  little 
better  than  a  lot  of  split  P's. "  His  observation  might  be 
given  a  much  wider  range.  It  is  far  more  applicable  to 
Protestants  than  to  Presbyterians — they  are  "a  lot  of  split 
P's."  If  there  were  in  Milton's  day  " subdichotomies  of 
petty  schisms,"  what  phrase  would  that  great  master  of 
vivid  expression  coin  to  fit  the  numberless  divisions  and 


RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890.  xvii 

subdivisions  into  which  Protestantism  has  fallen  since?  We 
no  longer  classify  these  divisions  as  units,  but  as  families 
of  units.  The  Presbyterians  are  not  simply  one  of  these  di- 
visions, but  a  whole  family.  The  Methodists,  who  were  a 
sort  of  ecclesiola  in  ecclesia  in  Wesley's  day  in  England, 
are  now  an  ecclesia  ecclesiarum  the  world  over.  According 
to  the  scientists,  no  atom  is  so  small  that  it  may  not  be 
conceived  of  as  consisting  of  halves.  It  may  be  divided 
into  halves,  and  these  halves  may  in  turn  be  divided,  and 
so  on  ad  infinitum.  No  denomination  has  thus  far  proved 
to  be  too  small  for  division.  Denominations  appear  in  the 
list  given  in  this  volume  with  as  few  as  twenty-five  mem- 
bers. I  was  reluctantly  compelled  to  exclude  from  the 
census  one  with  twenty-one  members.  The  reason  was, 
that  while  they  insisted  that  they  were  a  separate  body 
and  did  not  worship  with  other  Churches,  they  had  no  or- 
ganized church  of  their  own.  Twelve  of  them  were  in 
Pennsylvania,  divided  between  Philadelphia  and  Pittsburg, 
six  in  Illinois,  and  three  in  Missouri.  They  were  so  widely 
scattered  they  could  not  maintain  public  worship. 

It  is  not  easy  to  define  clearly  and  to  apply  discriminat- 
ingly the  term  "Evangelical."  It  comes,  of  course,  from 
the  Greek  word  "evangel,"  for  which  our  Anglo-Saxon 
"gospel,"  or  good  news,  is  the  close  equivalent.  In  a 
general  way,  we  mean,  I  suppose,  when  we  say  certain  de- 
nominations are  Evangelical,  that  they  hold  earnestly  to 
the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  of  Christ  as  found  in  the  New 
Testament.  Evangelical  and  non-Evangelical  are  terms 
used  generally  to  designate  classes  of  Churches  in  the  Protes- 
tant division.  The  Evangelical  Churches  are  those  which 
hold  to  the  inspiration,  authority,  and  sufficiency  of  the 
Scriptures;  the  Trinity,  the  deity  of  Christ,  justification 
by  faith  alone,  and  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  con- 
version and  sanctification  of  the  sinner.  The  non-Evan- 


XYM»          CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

gelical  Churches  are  those  which  take  a  rationalistic  view 
of  the  deity  of  Christ  and  the  doctrines  of  grace,  of  which 
the  Unitarians  may  be  taken  as  an  example.  There  are 
some  denominations  which  have  the  word  "Evangelical" 
in  their  title,  and  yet  are  thoroughly  rationalistic  and 
therefore  non-Evangelical.  Practically,  we  may  distin- 
guish as  Evangelical  all  those  bodies  which  are  members 
of  the  general  organization  known  as  the  Evangelical  Alli- 
ance, or  in  harmony  with  its  articles  of  faith;  and  as  non- 
Evangelical  all  other  Protestant  bodies. 

5.  DENOMINATIONAL  TITLES. — The  numerous  divisions 
make  modern  ecclesiastical  history  an  interesting  study. 
It  is  interesting  because  it  necessarily  deals  with  so  many 
distinct  phases  of  religious  thought,  so  many  diverse  de- 
nominational movements,  and  so  many  divergencies,  great 
and  small,  in  usage,  discipline,  and  polity.  But  it  is  a 
peculiarly  difficult  study,  because  of  the  multiplicity  of 
denominational  divisions  and  the  labyrinth  of  details  which 
must  be  mastered.  No  worse  puzzle  was  ever  invented 
than  that  which  the  names  of  the  various  denominations 
present. 

We  have,  for  example,  the  "Presbyterian  Church  in 
the  United  States"  and  the  "Presbyterian  Church  in  the 
United  States  of  America";  the  "Reformed  Church  in  the 
United  States"  and  the  "Reformed  Church  in  America." 
Which  is  which?  There  are  doubtless  many  members  of 
these  bodies  who  could  not  tell.  The  only  apparent  dis- 
tinction in  each  of  these  cases  is  geographical.  But  what 
is  the  difference  between  the  "United  States"  and  the 
"United  States  of  America"?  How  is  anybody  to  dis- 
tinguish between  the  "Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United 
States"  and  the  "Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States 
of  America"? 

There  are,  no  doubt,  theological  distinctions  between  the 


RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890.  xix 

"Reformed  Church  in -the  United  States"  and  the  "Re- 
formed Church  in  America. "  But  what  precisely  are  these 
distinctions?  They  cannot  be  of  fundamental  importance, 
because  both  Churches  accept  the  same  symbol,  the  Heidel- 
berg Catechism.  We  might  reasonably  expect  the  theolo- 
gians of  the  two  Churches  to  know;  but  what  about  the 
body  of  ministers?  Many  may  have  known  once,  but  might 
find  it  difficult  to  recall  the  exact  shades  of  difference.  As 
to  the  laymen,  few  of  them  have  probably  ever  heard  the 
difference  described.  The  way  we  learn  to  distinguish  be- 
tween the  two  Churches  is  by  identifying  the  Reformed 
Church  in  America  as  the  "Dutch"  body,  and  the  Reformed 
Church  in  the  United  States  as  the  "German"  body;  and 
so  when  we  want  to  use  these  titles  intelligently  we  bracket 
the  words  "Dutch"  and  "German"  in  connection  with 
them. 

Among  the  Presbyterians  there  are  four  bodies  of  the 
Reformed  variety.  I  have  always  had  great  difficulty  in 
distinguishing  between  them.  One  is  called  the  Reformed 
Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  of  America;  an- 
other, the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  in  North  Amer- 
ica. One  has  a  synod  and  the  other  a  general  synod.  But 
it  is  not  always  easy  to  remember  which  has  the  synod 
and  which  the  general  synod.  I  used  to  find  in  their 
monthly  organs  a  more  sure  method  of  distinction.  One 
of  these  organs  had  a  blue  cover  and  the  other  a  pink 
cover.  The  blue-cover  organ  represented  the  general 
synod,  and  the  general  synod  represents  the  Reformed 
Presbyterian  Church  in  North  America;  the  pink-cover 
organ  represented  the  synod,  and  the  synod  represents  the 
Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  of 
America. 

About  a  century  ago  a  number  of  ministers  and  churches 
seceded  from  the  Kirk  in  Scotland  and  organized  the 


xx  CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

Secession  Church.  Soon  after,  half  of  this  Secession 
Church  seceded  from  the  other  half,  and  in  process  of  time 
the  halves  were  quartered.  Then,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
there  was  a  dispute  among  them  as  to  who  were  the  first 
seceders.  Those  who  thought  their  claim  best  prefixed 
the  word  "Original"  to  their  title  and  became  Original 
Seceders.  Then  there  was  a  union  of  Seceders  and  Origi- 
nal Seceders,  and  the  result  was  the  United  Original  Se- 
cession Church,  or,  more  properly,  the  Church  of  the  United 
Original  Seceders.  This  is  probably  the  only  instance  in 
which  the  ideas  of  division  and  union  are  both  incorpor- 
ated in  one  title.  This  title  being  neither  ecclesiastical 
nor  doctrinal,  and  not  even  geographical,  we  may  properly 
term  it  mathematical,  and  think  of  the  Church  as  the 
Original  and  Only  Addition-Division  Church  in  the  Pres- 
byterian family. 

There  are  twelve  bodies  of  Presbyterians  to  be  distin- 
guished, and  eighteen  bodies  of  Methodists;  and  Metho- 
dist titles  are  scarcely  more  helpful  than  Presbyterian. 
We  have  the  Methodist  Episcopal,  which  we  recognize  as 
the  parent  body,  and  which  we  sometimes  distinguish  as 
the  Northern  Church,  though  it  covers  the  South  as  well 
as  the  North.  We  have  the  Methodist  Episcopal,  South, 
which  resulted  from  the  division  in  1844  and  which  has 
churches  in  some  of  the  Northern  States.  We  have  the 
African  Methodist  Episcopal,  the  African  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Zion,  the  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal,  the  Union 
American  Methodist  Episcopal,  the  African  Union  Meth- 
odist Protestant,  the  Zion  Union  Apostolic,  and  the 
Evangelist  Missionary — all  colored  bodies.  We  have  also 
three  bodies  of  Congregational  Methodists,  none  of  which 
are  Congregational  in  fact,  with  Free,  Independent,  Protes- 
tant, Primitive,  and  other  varieties  of  Methodists,  the  why 
of  which  must  forever  remain  an  inscrutable  mystery  to  the 


RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890.  jcri 

mass  of  mankind.  The  word  "Protestant"  in  the  title  of 
the  Methodist  Protestant  Church  does  not,  at  least  histori- 
cally, mean  Evangelical  or  anti-Catholic,  but  really  anti- 
Episcopal.  The  Methodist  reformers  of  1830  protested 
against  the  episcopacy  of  the  parent  body  as  a  barrier  to 
the  reforms  they  advocated.  "Methodist  Protestant "  does 
not,  therefore,  indicate  that  there  is  a  Methodist  Catholic 
Church  from  which  this  is  distinguished,  but  that  there  is 
a  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  from  which  this  is  distin- 
guished as  a  Methodist  anti-Episcopal  Church.  In  the 
title  Free  Methodist  Church  the  word  "Free"  does  not 
mean  free  from  State  control  or  patronage,  as  it  means  in 
Presbyterian  parlance  in  Scotland,  but  free  from  the  pew 
system,  free  from  worldliness,  free  from  instrumental  and 
choir  music,  and  free  from  unsound  preaching.  This  we 
ascertain  from  the  history  of  the  body,  not  from  its  title. 
The  Primitive  Methodist  Church  does  not,  of  course,  claim 
to  belong  to  the  age  of  Primitive  Christianity,  nor  to  be 
the  original  Methodist  Church.  It  dates  from  1810,  and 
sprang  from  a  revival  of  the  early  Methodist  practice  of 
field-preaching. 

Of  Baptist  bodies  we  count  thirteen,  including  the  Regu- 
lar, North,  South,  and  Colored;  the  Freewill  in  two 
varieties;  the  General,  Separate,  United,  Six-Principle, 
Seventh-Day,  Primitive,  white  and  colored,  Old  Two- 
Seed-in-the-Spirit  Predestinarian;  also  the  Baptist  Church 
of  Christ,  which  claims  to  have  descended  direct  from 
the  apostles.  Beginning  with  the  three  principal  bodies, 
called  "Regular,"  we  might,  following  the  old  classifi- 
cation of  verbs,  describe  the  Baptists  as  "Regular, 
Irregular,  Redundant,  and  Defective. "  The  most  curious 
of  all  Baptist  bodies  is  the  Old  Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit 
Predestinarian.  Here  we  have  a  title  that  is  definitive. 
It  describes  and  distinguishes.  These  Baptists  are  Pre- 


xxii  CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

destinarian.  They  believe  that  every  action,  whether 
good  or  bad,  of  every  person  and  every  event  was  pre- 
destinated from  the  beginning;  not  only  the  initial  sin  of 
Eve  and  the  amiable  compliance  of  Adam  and  the  con- 
sequent fall  of  man,  but  the  apostasy  of  Satan.  They  are 
thoroughly  Predestinarian;  and  not  only  Predestinarian, 
but  they  are  Old  Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit  Predestinarians. 
The  two  seeds  are  good  and  evil;  and  one  or  the  other 
of  them  will  spring  up  into  eternal  life  or  eternal  death, 
according  to  the  nature  of  the  predestination  decreed  in 
each  particular  case. 

There  are  four  bodies  of  Brethren  who  object  to  any 
other  designation.  They  are  popularly  known  as  (Plym- 
outh) Brethren.  By  putting  the  word  Plymouth  in  paren- 
thesis we  can  distinguish  them  from  other  bodies  of  Breth- 
ren; but  how  shall  we  distinguish  each  of  these  four  bodies 
of  (Plymouth)  Brethren  from  the  other  three?  The  device 
I  was  led  to  adopt  for  the  census  was  that  of  Roman  nu- 
merals, thus: 

(Plymouth)  Brethren  I., 
(Plymouth)  Brethren  II., 
(Plymouth)  Brethren  III., 
(Plymouth)  Brethren  IV., 

the  word  "Plymouth"  being  in  parenthesis  in  each  case. 

Much  confusion  often  arises  from  the  similarity  of  titles. 
There  are,  it  will  be  noticed,  several  bodies  called  the 
Church  of  God,  with  only  a  slight  variation  in  two  in- 
stances. There  are  the  Church  of  God  and  Churches  of 
God  in  Christ  Jesus,  both  Adventist;  the  Churches  of  God, 
otherwise  distinguished  as  the  denomination  founded  by 
Elder  Winebrenner,  and  the  Church  of  God  in  Christ.  The 
large  body,  which  appears  in  the  list  given  in  this  volume 
as  Disciples  of  Christ,  since  become  two  bodies,  also  often 


RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890.  xxiii 

calls  itself  simply  "The  Christians."  There  is  another 
denomination,  with  similar  tenets  and  two  branches,  which 
uses  the  same  designation,  and  is  otherwise  known  as  the 
Christian  Connection.  The  authorities  of  the  census  in 
1870  declared  that  in  the  results  it  was  impossible  to  draw 
a  line  of  separation  between  these  denominations.  A  few 
years  ago  the  Disciples  were  popularly  distinguished  as  the 
body  to  which  President  Garfield  belonged,  and  they  are 
probably  better  known  as  Campbellites,  a  term  which  is 
offensive  to  them,  than  by  either  of  their  accepted  titles. 

Since  we  have  divisions,  and  so  many  of  them,  we  need 
good  definitive  titles.  But»how  shall  we  get  them?  Lord 
Beaconsfield  waged  a  war  to  acquire  a  "scientific  frontier" 
in  India.  Almost  any  means  would  be  justifiable  that 
would  secure  for  us  a  scientific  nomenclature.  But  there 
is  this  great  difficulty:  a  definitive  title  cannot  be  given 
where  there  is  no  distinction  to  define.  Baptist,  Presby- 
terian, Congregational,  Episcopal,  are  definitive  titles;  but 
between  many  of  the  Baptist  and  Presbyterian  branches 
there  is  no  difference  which  a  title  could  be  framed  to 
designate.  The  only  remedy  I  can  suggest  in  such  cases 
is  reunion;  and  why  such  reunion  has  not  taken  place  in 
scores  of  instances  I  cannot  explain,  except  by  the  preva- 
lence of  the  doctrine  of  the  perseverance  of  the  saints.  It 
must  be  that  the  saints  of  the  sects  think  they  ought  to 
persevere  in  sectarian  division. 

6.  THE  CAUSES  OF  DIVISION. — What  is  it  that  has  caused 
so  many  divisions  in  our  Christianity?  The  question  is  one 
of  profound  interest,  whether  considered  as  a  matter  of  his- 
tory, as  indicating  the  course  of  controversy,  or  as  affecting 
the  influence,  spirit,  and  power  of  organized  religion.  The 
differences  in  some  cases  between  branches  bearing  the  same 
generic  name  are  important;  in  others  they  are  not.  How 
shall  we  explain  the  fact  that  there  are  six  kinds  of  Advent- 


xxiv          CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

ist3,  fifteen  kinds  of  Baptists,  seventeen  kinds  of  Method- 
ists, etc?  The  natural  presumption  is  that  the  six  branches 
of  Adventists  are  six  kinds  of  Adventists,  the  fifteen  branches 
of  Baptists  fifteen  kinds  of  Baptists,  and  so  on.  As  a  mat- 
ter of  fact,  this  is  not  so.  Different  titles  and  separate 
existence,  while  logically  implying  distinct  varieties,  are  in 
some  cases  simply  the  result  of  differences  which  have  long 
ceased  to  exist.  It  would  be  a  mistake,  therefore,  to  say 
that  every  one  of  the  143  distinct  titles  of  denominations 
represents  a  difference,  either  in  doctrine  or  polity  or  form 
of  worship. 

One  of  the  most  numerous  of  the  denominational  fami- 
lies is  the  Methodist.  Methodism  has  had  a  marvelous 
growth  in  the  United  States,  and  yet  we  find  it  broken 
into  eighteen  divisions.  There  are  no  doctrinal  differences 
to  account  for  them.  They  are  all  Arminian  in  theology, 
agreeing  in  their  opposition  to  the  Calvinistic  decrees;  em- 
phasizing the  points  of  doctrine  which  Wesley  made  dis- 
tinctive; and  manifesting  substantial  oneness  in  the  minor 
matters  of  usage.  They  are  one  in  spirit,  and  each  has  the 
family  resemblance  in  many  characteristics.  They  differ, 
first,  in  church  government.  Some  are  episcopal;  others 
presbyterian,  with  presidents  of  conferences  instead  of  bish- 
ops; and  one  is  independent.  The  oldest  of  the  existing 
divisions,  the  Methodist  Protestant,  became  separated  from 
the  parent  body  about  1830  in  a  controversy  over  the  ad- 
mission of  laymen  into  the  governing  body  of  the  Church. 
Those  who  espoused  this  reform  believed  that  bishops  and 
presiding  elders  were  autocratic,  and  when  they  formed  a 
system  of  their  own  they  brought  the  laymen  to  the  front 
and  sent  bishops  and  presiding  elders  to  the  rear.  This 
was  a  division  on  principles  of  government.  Eight  of  the 
branches  became  such  because  of  color  or  race  difference. 
Nearly  all  of  these  separated  from  a  white  body.  Two 


RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890.  xxv 

other  divisions,  the  American  Wesleyan  and  the  Methodist 
Episcopal,  South,  were  due  to  the  slavery  question,  which 
has  been  one  of  the  most  prolific  causes,  in  the  history  of  the 
last  century,  of  ecclesiastical  controversy  and  secessions. 
Another  body,  the  Free  Methodists,  was  the  result  of  too 
little  forbearance  and  too  harsh  exercise  of  discipline,  on  the 
one  side,  and  to  extravagances  of  preaching  and  behavior 
on  the  other.  In  other  words,  there  was  a  misunderstand- 
ing, a  quarrel,  and  a  separation.  The  two  Congregational 
Methodist  branches  (formerly  three)  are  not  really  congre- 
gational in  form  of  government.  They  were  caused  by 
disciplinary  troubles.  The  Primitive  branch  comes  to  us, 
not  by  division,  but  from  England  through  Canada. 

To  summarize,  ten  of  the  seventeen  divisions  were  due 
to  the  race  or  the  slavery  question,  and  six  to  controversies 
over  practical  questions.  Of  course  differences  were  in- 
creased, in  some  instances,  by  the  natural  process  of  devel- 
opment. The  itinerancy,  for  example,  has  been  modified 
in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  and  in  the  Methodist  Protes- 
tant Church,  and  the  probationary  system  abolished  in  the 
Church,  South.  Leaving  out  the  Independent  and  the  four 
Congregational  branches,  which  are  very  small,  I  doubt 
whether  there  is  any  difference  between  the  various  epis- 
copal bodies  that  would  be  harder  to  overcome  in  any  effort 
to  unite  them  than  that  of  race  and  section.  There  are 
five  non-episcopal  bodies  which  are  not  widely  separated 
in  practice  or  spirit. 

Of  the  twelve  Presbyterian  bodies  all  are  consistently 
Calvinistic  but  two,  the  Cumberland  and  the  Cumberland 
Colored,  which  hold  to  a  modified  Calvinism.  All  use  the 
Presbyterian  system  of  government,  with  little  variation. 
What,  then,  is  it  that  divides  them?  Slavery  divided  the 
Northern  and  Southern,  the  race  question  the  two  Cumber- 
land bodies;  one  branch  is  Welsh,  and  the  rest  are  kept 


xxvi          CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

apart  by  minute  variations.  They  have  close  points  of 
agreement,  but  they  differ  on  questions  that  seem  to  others 
utterly  insignificant. 

We  may  sum  up  the  causes  of  division  under  four  heads: 
(i)  controversies  over  doctrine;  (2)  controversies  over 
administration  or  discipline;  (3)  controversies  over  moral 
questions;  (4)  controversies  of  a  personal  character. 

We  are  a  nation  made  up  of  diverse  race-elements.  All 
varieties  of  speech,  habits  of  thought,  mental,  moral,  and 
religious  training  are  represented  among  us  by  the  older 
and  the  newer,  the  European  and  the  Asiatic  immigration. 
Here  there  is  the  utmost  freedom  for  all  forms  of  religion, 
with  no  exclusive  favors  to  any.  We  must  expect,  from 
such  a  commingling,  currents,  counter-currents,  and  eddies 
of  religious  thought.  Different  systems  of  doctrine,  differ- 
ent forms  of  worship,  and  different  principles  of  discipline 
are  brought  into  contact,  and  each  has  its  influence  upon 
the  others.  Calvinism  affects  Arminianism,  and  Arminian- 
ism  Calvinism.  The  Teutonic  element  modifies  the  English 
and  is  modified  by  it  in  turn.  Catholicism  has  been  most 
profoundly  affected  by  Protestantism,  and  some  elements 
of  Protestantism  by  Catholicism.  Thus  there  are  various 
forces  acting  upon  religion  in  the  United  States,  and  pro- 
ducing phenomena  in  our  religious  life  which  the  future 
historian  will  study  with  great  interest. 

Without  attempting  to  consider  with  any  degree  of 
thoroughness  the  tendencies  manifested  in  the  history  of 
religion  in  the  United  States,  I  must  refer  to  that  toward 
liberal  views.  Most  denominations  have  become  much 
more  liberal  in  spirit  than  they  used  to  be.  It  was  the 
growth  of  this  liberal  spirit  which  caused  many  of  the  divi- 
sions of  the  past  eighty  or  ninety  years.  Let  me  give  a 
single  illustration  of  the  tendency.  A  band  of  Dunkards 
came  across  the  sea  from  Germany  to  Pennsylvania  in  1719. 


RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890.  xxvii 

.They  were  a  very  simple  people,  interpreting  the  Bible 
literally,  fashioning  their  outward  as  well  as  their  spiritual 
lives  by  it,  and  believing  they  were  called  by  God  to  be  a 
peculiar  and  exclusive  people.  More  unworldly  men  and 
women  never  inhabited  cloister.  They  were  in  the  world 
but  not  a  part  of  the  world.  They  thought  it  a  virtue  to 
resist  its  customs  and  ignore  its  fashions.  In  the  character 
and  cut  of  their  garments,  in  the  manner  of  wearing  their 
hair,  in  the  way  they  ordered  their  homes  and  their  daily 
life,  they  were  separate  and  peculiar.  They  adopted  strin- 
gent rules  of  discipline  to  prevent  the  trimming  of  the 
beard,  the  wearing  of  hats  instead  of  bonnets,  the  laying 
of  carpets,  the  use  of  pianos,  and  similar  acts,  in  order  to 
keep  themselves  pure  and  unspotted  from  the  world  and 
maintain  their  simplicity  of  life  and  faith.  For  many  years 
the  influences  of  the  world  seemed  to  have  no  effect  upon 
them;  but  gradually  innovations  crept  into  their  habits, 
their  discipline  was  insensibly  relaxed,  and  the  questions 
sent  up  to  their  annual  meeting  grew  more  numerous  and 
perplexing,  and  differences  of  opinion  became  quite  com- 
mon. One  year  this  question  was  presented,  among  others: 
"How  is  it  considered  for  Brethren  to  establish  or  patronize 
a  high-school?"  After  canvassing  the  Bible  carefully  for 
light,  the  following  answer  was  returned :  "  Considered  that 
Brethren  should  mind  not  high  things,  but  condescend  to 
men  of  low  estate."  Nevertheless  the  high-school  was 
established  and  has  since  developed  into  a  college.  The 
Dunkards  between  1880  and  1890  split  into  three  bodies. 
Association  with  others  inevitably  changed  the  view  and 
habits  of  a  number  of  them,  and  led  to  innovation.  These 
innovations  were  resisted  by  the  more  conservative,  and 
division,  where  full  toleration  was  not  possible,  was  the  in- 
evitable result.  Consequently,  the  body  that  had  persisted 
for  a  century  and  a  half  as  an  unworldly,  harmonious,  and 


xxviii        CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

united  communion  was  divided  into  three  branches,  a  Pro- 
gressive, a  Conservative,  and  an  Old  Order  branch. 

Conservative  and  liberal  tendencies  appear  in  all  organ- 
izations with  which  men  have  to  do.  They  are  manifested 
in  all  Churches.  When  circumstances  accentuate  them, 
only  broad  toleration  and  strong  interests  in  common  can 
prevent  division. 

7.  ANALYSIS  OF  RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED 
STATES. — The  statistical  results  given  in  the  census  of  1890 
more  thoroughly  and  exhaustively  than  ever  before  show 
that  the  religious  forces  of  the  United  States  are  almost 
entirely  Christian.  The  number  of  organizations  and  mem- 
bers belonging  to  other  than  Christian  bodies  is  a  very  small 
fraction  of  the  whole,  over  one,  but  less  than  two,  per  cent. 
Among  the  non-Christian  denominations  we  count  the 
Orthodox  and  Reformed  Jews,  the  Society  for  Ethical  Cul- 
ture, the  Buddhists,  and  the  Theosophists.  (The  pagan 
Indians  are  not  included  in  the  census,  and  no  account  is 
made  of  them  here.)  Those  bodies  are  all  insignificant, 
except  the  Jews,  and  are  hardly  sufficient  in  number  to 
constitute  a  class.  Including  the  Jews,  there  were  in  1890 
626  organizations  and  132,301  members  who  are  non- 
Christian.  I  assume  that  the  Latter-Day  Saints  and  the 
Spiritualists,  whatever  may  be  thought  of  certain  features 
of  their  systems  of  religion,  are  as  bodies  properly  classed 
as  Christian.  The  Latter-Day  Saints  make  much  of  the 
name  of  Christ,  at  least,  embracing  it  in  the  title  of  both  of 
their  branches.  The  non-Christian  bodies  which,  excepting 
the  Jewish,  are  not  growing,  but  rather  decreasing,  need  not 
further  engage  our  special  consideration. 

The  aggregates  by  which  the  forces  of  religion  were  rep- 
resented in  1890  were  very  large.  There  were,  in  the  first 
place,  111,036  ministers.  This  number  represents  chiefly 
those  in  the  active  service  as  preachers,  pastors,  and  mission- 


RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890.  xxix 

aries.  The  percentage  of  those  who,  though  retaining  their 
ecclesiastical  standing  as  ministers,  have  ceased  to  perform 
its  duties  cannot  be  large.  On  the  other  hand,  it  should  be 
observed  that  the  very  numerous  body  of  men  known  to 
Methodism  as  local  preachers,  some  of  whom  are  ordained, 
are  not  counted;  nor  are  any  returns  given  for  those  who 
exercise  the  functions  of  the  ministry  in  bodies  like  the 
Plymouth  Brethren,  the  Christadelphians,  the  Shakers,  and 
similar  societies.  The  ministry  is  not  an  order  or  an  office 
among  the  Plymouth  Brethren;  but  any  believer  who  feels 
called  to  preach  is  given  the  opportunity  to  manifest  his 
gifts.  They  have,  therefore,  no  roll  of  ministers  to  be  re- 
ported. The  vast  majority  of  the  111,036  ministers  give 
their  whole  time  to  their  ministerial  work,  and  are  supported 
by  the  churches  they  serve. 

The  number  of  organizations,  or  church  societies,  or  con- 
gregations was  165,297.  This  covers  not  only  all  self- 
supporting  churches,  charges,  or  parishes,  but  also  missions, 
chapels,  and  stations  where  public  worship  is  maintained 
once  a  month,  or  oftener.  Many  of  these  places  are  sup- 
ported by  home  mission  societies  or  neighboring  churches. 
It  appears  that  upward  of  23,000  organizations  own  no 
church  edifices,  but  meet  in  halls,  schoolhouses,  or  private 
houses. 

It  would  be  interesting  to  know  how  many  meetings  are 
held  by  all  denominations  in  the  course  of  a  year.  In  some 
Catholic  parishes  five  or  six  services  of  the  mass,  in  a  few 
cases  even  more,  are  provided  every  Sunday.  In  most 
Protestant  churches  there  are  two  services  on  Sunday,  be- 
sides the  week-night  prayer-meeting  and  special  evangel- 
istic gatherings.  In  sparsely  settled  sections  of  the  South 
and  West  bi-monthly  or  monthly  services  are  the  rule. 
Besides  the  rented  places,  there  are  more  than  142,000 
Christian  church  edifices  opened  periodically  to  the  gen- 


xxx  CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

eral  public.  If  monthly  meetings  only  were  held  in  these 
churches,  there  would  be  a  grand  total  of  1,711,200  every 
year.  But  as  a  rule  three  services  are  held  weekly,  not 
including  the  Sunday-school.  Probably  the  actual  number 
of  Sunday  and  week-night  services,  to  say  nothing  about 
Sunday-school  sessions,  is  between  15,000,000  and  20,000,- 
ooo  a  year,  with  10,000,000  sermons.  Those  who  would 
get  some  idea  of  the  activity  of  the  Churches  in  publishing 
the  good  tidings  and  propagating  the  principles  of  religion 
must  consider  the  tremendous  significance  of  this  conserv- 
ative estimate. 

The  accommodations  afforded  to  Christian  worshipers 
by  the  142,000  church  edifices  aggregate  43,000,000  and 
upward.  That  is,  more  than  43,000,000  people  could 
find  sittings  at  one  time  in  the  churches,  to  say  nothing  of 
other  places  where  divine  service  is  held.  The  question 
has  been  raised  whether,  if  everybody  wanted  to  go  to 
church  once  a  week,  the  churches  could  contain  them.  It 
is  to  be  said,  in  the  first  place,  that  not  all  the  inhabitants 
of  any  community  could  attend  service  at  any  particular 
hour  or  on  any  particular  day.  Infants,  the  infirm,  the  sick, 
and  those  who  wait  upon  them  must  remain  at  home,  and 
it  is  doubtful,  under  the  most  favorable  circumstances, 
whether  more  than  two-thirds  of  the  population  of  any 
community  of  a  thousand  or  more  could  be  free  to  attend 
any  one  service.  The  churches  alone,  it  appears,  furnish 
accommodations  for  over  two- thirds  of  the  population,  while 
the  halls,  schoolhouses,  and  other  places  where  sermons  are 
preached  have  room  for  nearly  two  and  a  quarter  millions 
more.  As  most  churches  have  at  least  two  services  every 
Sunday,  and  as  many  persons  attend  only  one,  it  seems  a 
very  reasonable  inference  that  if  the  entire  population  should 
so  desire,  and  sickness  and  other  controlling  conditions  did 
not  intervene,  they  could  attend  divine  worship  once  a 


RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890.  xxxi 

week.  In  particular  communities  where  the  population  is 
very  sparse,  the  services  may  be  too  infrequent;  in  crowded 
centres  the  church  accommodations  may  not  in  all  cases  be 
in  adequate  proportion  to  the  numbers;  but  on  the  whole, 
taking  all  circumstances  into  consideration,  it  cannot  be 
said  that  the  spiritual  interests  of  the  millions  are  neglected, 
so  far  as  privileges  to  worship  are  concerned. 

It  is  an  enormous  aggregate  of  value  (nearly  $670,000,- 
ooo)  which  has  been  freely  invested  for  the  public  use  and 
the  public  good  in  church  property.  This  aggregate  rep- 
resents not  all  that  Christian  men  and  women  have  conse- 
crated to  religious  objects,  but  only  what  they  have  con- 
tributed to  buy  the  ground  and  erect  and  furnish  the 
buildings  devoted  to  worship.  The  cost  has  in  some  cases 
run  up  into  the  hundred  thousands;  in  many  others  it  is 
covered  by  hundreds;  in  the  vast  majority  of  instances  it 
is  measured  by  thousands.  Every  community  has  one  or 
more  churches,  according  to  the  number,  character,  and 
needs  of  its  population.  In  crowded  cities,  where  real  es- 
tate is  quoted  at  high  rates,  and  where  churches  generally 
occupy  the  best  positions,  the  average  value  of  the  edifices 
rises  to  astonishing  figures.  This  is  especially  true  of  the 
older  cities,  like  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  Bos- 
ton, and  of  the  older  denominations,  such  as  the  Episcopal, 
the  Reformed  Dutch,  and  the  Friends.  The  average  value 
of  the  churches,  taking  the  whole  country  and  all  Christian 
bodies  into  account,  is  $4707.  Of  course  in  some  denomi- 
nations the  average  is  much  greater,  in  others  much  smaller. 
For  example,  among  the  Original  Freewill  Baptists  of  the 
Carolinas  it  is  only  $455;  while  in  the  Reformed  (Dutch) 
Church  it  reaches  $19,227;  in  the  Unitarian,  $24,725; 
and  in  the  Reformed  Jewish,  $38,839,  which  is  the  highest 
for  any  denomination.  The  high  average  a*nong  the  Jews 
is  chiefly  due  to  the  fact  that  most  of  their  communicants 


xxxii        CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

(nearly  88  per  cent.)  are  to  be  found  in  the  cities.  Of 
Unitarian  and  Episcopal  communicants,  48  per  cent,  are  in 
cities  of  25,000  population  and  upward.  Denominations 
which,  like  the  Disciples  of  Christ,  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  South,  and  the  United  Brethren,  have  a  constitu- 
ency made  up  chiefly  of  rural  inhabitants,  report  a  lower 
average  of  value.  The  figures  for  the  Disciples  of  Christ  are 
$2292,  for  the  United  Brethren,  $1513,  and  for  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  South,  $1480.  It  is  to  be  noted 
that  the  average  is  much  smaller  in  the  Southern  than  in  the 
Northern  and  New  England  States.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  at 
least  20  per  cent,  of  the  entire  value  of  church  prop- 
erty is  returned  by  the  State  of  New  York  alone;  and  New 
York,  Pennsylvania,  Massachusetts,  Ohio,  and  Illinois  to- 
gether have  more  than  50  per  cent,  of  it.  No  account  is 
made  in  the  census  report  of  church  debts,  and  the  statis- 
tical plan  of  none  of  the  denominations,  with  one  or  two 
exceptions,  is  designed  to  collect  information  on  this  point. 
The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  however,  provides  for  it 
in  its  systematic  yearly  inquiries.  In  that  body  it  appears 
that  the  debts  on  the  churches  constitute  about  n  per 
cent,  of  their  value.  Whether  this  proportion  holds  good 
in  other  denominations  it  is  impossible  to  say.  In  some, 
doubtless,  it  is  less;  in  others,  more.  In  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  no  edifice  can  be  canonically  consecrated 
until  it  is  fully  paid  for. 

Among  the  mightiest  of  the  religious  forces  of  this  coun- 
try are  to  be  reckoned  the  members  or  communicants  of 
the  Christian  Churches.  Allowing  for  those  members  who 
are  dark  beacons  and  either  help  not  at  all  or  help  to  lead 
astray,  we  have  still  an  army  of  millions  of  men  and  women 
who,  by  lives  devoted  to  the  service  of  God  and  their  own 
race,  manifest  the  power  of  the  gospel  to  reach  and  regen- 
erate the  human  heart  and  satisfy  its  highest  aspirations. 


RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890.  xxxiii 

These  are  active  forces,  constant  in  purpose,  with  an  influ- 
ence all-pervading  and  all-persuasive,  touching  the  hearts 
of  the  young  and  shaping  their  tender  thoughts  for  eter- 
nity, helping  the  older  to  make  choice  while  opportunity 
offers,  and  encouraging  the  weak  and  stumbling  believer 
to  persevere.  There  were  in  1890  nearly  twenty  and 
a  half  millions  of  Christian  believers,  of  all  creeds  and 
denominations.  A  considerable  number  are  members 
of  bodies  only  nominally  Christian,  and  we  should 
naturally  exclude  Spiritualists,  Latter-Day  Saints,  and 
certain  other  denominations.  With  these  omissions  we 
would  still  have  twenty  millions  of  members,  Protestant 
and  Catholic,  which  is  nearly  one  third  of  the  entire 
population  of  the  United  States.  When  it  is  remembered 
that  several  millions  of  our  population  are  children  too 
young  to  be  communicants,  the  showing  for  the  Churches 
cannot  be  regarded  as  unfavorable,  by  any  means.  Nearly 
one  person  in  every  three  of  all  ages  is  a  Christian 
communicant. 

8.  THE  RELIGIOUS  POPULATION. — What  is  our  religious 
population?  While  no  enumeration  has  been  made  to  as- 
certain the  religious  preferences  of  the  people  of  the  United 
States,  it  is  quite  possible  to  form  an  estimate  upon  the 
basis  of  the  communicants  reported,  which  will  be  suffi- 
ciently accurate  for  all  purposes.  The  usual  way  of  com- 
puting religious  population  is  by  multiplying  the  number 
of  communicants  of  any  Protestant  denomination  by  3!. 
This  is  on  the  supposition  that  for  every  communicant  there 
are  2^  adherents,  including,  of  course,  young  children.  A 
careful  examination  has  satisfied  me  that  this  supposition 
rests  on  good  grounds.  I  find  support  for  it  in  a  comparison 
between  the  census  returns  of  the  religious  populations  of 
various  communions  in  Canada  with  those  which  the  de- 
nominations give  themselves  of  communicants.  It  will  be 


xxxiv        CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

convenient  to  arrange  the  returns  for  population  and  com- 
municants in  tabular  form. 

DENOMINATIONS.  Religious  Communi- 

Population.  cants. 

Methodists 847,469  241,376 

Presbyterians 755>i99  169,152 

Episcopalians 644,106  114,931 

Baptists 303,749  78,059 

This  table  indicates  that  there  are  2.5  Methodist,  3.5  Presby- 
terian, 4.6  Episcopalian,  and  2.9  Baptist  adherents  to  every 
communicant.  The  average  is  3.2.  This  is  higher  than 
I  feel  warranted  in  applying  to  all  denominations  in  the 
United  States.  The  proportion  varies  with  the  denomina- 
tions, and  is  probably  much  lower  when  the  smaller  and 
more  obscure  denominations  are  brought  into  consideration. 
Certainly,  the  results  justify  us  in  assuming  that  there  are 
at  least  2.5  adherents  in  the  United  States  to  each  Protes- 
tant communicant,  taking  all  the  denominations  together. 
In  round  numbers  we  may  take  14,180,000  as  representing 
the  Protestant  communicants.  This  leaves  out  not  only  the 
Catholics,  but  the  Jews,  the  Theosophists,  the  Ethical  Cul- 
turists,  and  the  Spiritualists.  It  seems  best  to  omit  the 
Latter-Day  Saints  also.  Multiplying  this  number  by  3^, 
we  have  49,630,000,  which  represents  the  aggregate  of  Prot- 
estant communicants  and  adherents,  or  Protestant  popula- 
tion. To  this  we  must  add  the  Catholic  population,  in 
order  to  get  the  entire  Christian  population.  There  are 
6,257,871  Catholic  communicants  of  all  branches.  Catholic 
communicants,  according  to  Catholic  estimates,  constitute 
85  per  cent,  of  the  Catholic  population.  There  must,  there- 
fore, be  a  Catholic  population  of  7,362,000;  adding  this 
to  the  Protestant  population,  we  have  56,992,000.  This 
stands  for  the  Christian  population  of  the  United  States  in 
1890.  As  the  population,  according  to  the  census,  is  62,622,- 
250,  it  would  appear  that  there  are  5,630,000  people  who  are 
neither  Christian  communicants  nor  Christian  adherents. 


RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890. 


xxxv 


Making  liberal  allowance  for  the  Jews  and  other  religious 
bodies  not  embraced  in  the  Christian  population,  there  are 
5,000,000  belonging  to  the  non-religious  and  anti-religious 
classes,  including  free-thinkers,  secularists,  and  infidels. 
We  have,  of  course,  no  warrant  for  believing  that  the  ma- 
jority of  these  5,000,000  who  are  outside  the  religious  popu- 
lations are  atheists,  or  avowed  unbelievers.  There  are  but 
few  real  atheists;  few  who  do  not  have  some  belief  con- 
cerning a  supreme  being  and  a  future.  But  most  of  the 
5,000,000  are  probably  opposed  to  the  Churches  for  various 
reasons.  And  we  must  not  forget  that  in  the  fifty-seven 
millions  counted  as  the  Christian  population  are  many  who 
are  indifferent  to  the  claims  of  religion,  and  seldom  or  never 
go  to  a  house  of  worship.  Adding  these,  and  the  large  num- 
ber of  members  on  whose  lives  religion  exercises  practically 
no  power,  to  the  5,000,000,  we  have  a  problem  of  sufficient 
magnitude  to  engage  the  mind,  heart,  and  hand  of  the 
Church  for  a  generation.  One  out  of  every  twelve  persons 
is  either  an  active  or  passive  opponent  of  religion;  two  out 
of  every  three  are  not  members  of  any  Church. 

9.  THE  GROWTH  OF  THE  CHURCHES. — The  normal  con- 
dition of  the  Christian  Church  is  a  growing  condition.  In 
no  other  way  can  it  manifest  the  spirit  and  power  of  the 
gospel;  on  no  other  consideration  can  it  retain  that  spirit 
and  power.  It  has  received  salvation  that  it  might  press 
it  upon  those  who  have  it  not;  the  power  of  the  Spirit,  that 
it  might  speak  in  His  name;  the  world  as  its  parish,  that  it 
might  convert  it.  It  must  be  aggressive  or  cease  to  be  pros- 
perous; it  must  diligently  propagate  or  begin  to  decline.  In 
the  very  nature  of  things  this  must  be  so.  Death  decimates 
yearly  the  list  of  communicants.  The  losses  from  this  and 
other  causes  must  be  made  good  by  accessions  before  actual 
growth  is  made  apparent.  There  must  be  a  measure  of 
increase  to  prevent  decline.  All  increase  beyond  that  which 
repairs  the  losses  we  count  as  net  increase.  Our  Churches, 


xxxvi        CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

almost  without  exception,  manifest  the  conditions  of  pros- 
perity and  growth.  Year  by  year  they  add  to  their  num- 
bers. In  some  cases  the  percentage  of  growth  is  large;  in 
others,  small;  but  growth  is  the  rule  and  decline  the  rare 
exception.  We  ascertain  this,  of  course,  by  comparison 
of  one  year's  returns  with  those  of  another,  as  furnished  by 
the  denominations  themselves,  or  most  of  them.  It  should 
be  said,  however,  that  denominational  statistics  are  not  of 
uniform  completeness  and  excellence,  and  it  is  difficult  in 
many  instances  to  obtain  them  at  all  for  a  series  of  years. 
This  makes  it  hard  to  secure  anything  like  a  fair  comparison. 
The  returns  of  the  census  of  1890  may  be  regarded  as  ex- 
haustive and  accurate  as  possible;  but  there  is  nothing  in 
previous  censuses  with  which  to  compare  them.  The  pub- 
lished results  of  the  seventh,  eighth,  and  ninth  censuses  do 
not  include  communicants  at  all,  and  we  cannot  be  sure 
from  the  way  they  were  conducted  that  they  were  suffi- 
ciently accurate  and  complete  for  purposes  of  comparison. 
Results  obtained  in  this  way  must  be  taken  simply  as  indi- 
cations of  increase,  not  as  accurate  representations  of  it. 
No  distinction  was  made  in  1850  and  1860  between  church 
organizations  and  church  edifices.  Two  items  only  ap- 
peared in  those  three  censuses  in  such  form  as  to  admit  of 
fair  comparison,  viz.,  church  accommodations  or  sittings, 
and  value  of  church  property.  It  appears  that  the  gain  in 
sittings  in  the  ten  years  ending  in  1860  was  34  per  cent.,  and 
in  value  of  church  property  over  100;  in  the  ten  years  end- 
ing in  1870  it  was  only  a  little  more  than  13  per  cent,  in  sit- 
tings, but  about  100  per  cent,  in  value.  Since  1870  the  gain 
in  sittings  has  been  about  101  per  cent.,  and  in  value  of 
church  property,  92.  These  figures  must  not,  however, 
be  taken  without  allowance  for  the  more  or  less  imper- 
fect returns  of  1870.  A  more  satisfactory  comparison 
may  be  made  for  the  larger  denominations  between  the 
census  returns  of  1890  and  returns  of  1880  gathered 


RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890. 


xxxvii 


The  figures  represent 


from  denominational  year-books, 
communicants. 


DENOMINATIONS. 

Baptist,  Regular  (3  bodies) 2 

Baptist,  Freewill 

Congregational 

Disciples  of  Christ 

Dunkards 

Episcopal,  Protestant 

Episcopal,  Reformed 

Evangelical  Association 

Friends 

Lutheran  (all  bodies) 

Methodist  Episcopal 

Methodist  Episcopal  (South) . . 

Methodist  (other) 

Moravian 

Presbyterian  (North) 

Presbyterian  (South) 

Presbyterian,  Cumberland.  .  .  . 

Presbyterian  (other) 

Reformed  (Dutch) 

Reformed  (German) 

United  Brethren. . 


Total.. 9,263,234  13,158,363  3,895,129 

The  increase  indicated  is  large,  amounting  to  over  42  per 
cent.  In  the  same  period,  ten  years,  the  population  in- 
creased at  the  rate  of  24.86.  These  churches,  which  em- 
brace all  Protestant  communicants  except  about  a  million, 
grew  faster  than  the  population  by  17.19  per  cent.  That 
surely  is  encouraging.  It  is  a  large  net  gain,  and  means 
that  Protestant  Christianity,  notwithstanding  the  large 
Catholic  immigration  of  the  decade,  is  advancing  at  a  rapid 
pace. 

The  growth  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  for  the  same 
period  must  have  been  large.  It  was  fed  by  a  tremendous 
stream  of  immigrants  from  Catholic  Europe  and  the  Catho- 
lic section  of  Canada;  and  the  natural  increase  of  a  popula- 
tion of  six  or  seven  millions  must  be  considerable.  How 


1880. 

1890. 

Increase 

2,296,327 

3,429,080 

1,132,753 

78,012 

87,898 

9,886 

384,332 

512,771 

128,439 

350,000 

641,051 

291,051 

60,000 

73,795 

13,795 

343,158 

532,054 

188,896 

5?ooo 

8,455 

3,455 

99,794 

133,313 

33,519 

100,000 

107,208 

7,208 

693,418 

1,231,072 

537,654 

1,707,413 

2,240,354 

532,941 

830,000 

1,209,976 

379,976 

987,278 

1,138,954 

151,676 

9,212 

11,781 

2,569 

573,599 

788,224 

214,625 

121,915 

179,721 

57,8o6 

H3,933 

164,940 

51,007 

122,078 

145,447 

23,369 

79,269 

92,970 

i3,7oi 

151,761 

204,018 

52,257 

156,735 

225,281 

68,546 

xxxviii     CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

large  it  was,  however,  statistics  cannot  certainly  show.  The 
Catholic  year-books  do  not  give  exact  returns  of  Catholic 
population,  only  estimates,  based  upon  diocesan  reports  of 
births  and  deaths.  It  is  true  that  the  census  of  1890  makes 
returns  for  Catholic  communicants ;  but  what  is  there  with 
which  to  compare  them?  Sadlier's  "Directory"  of  1881 
estimated  the  Catholic  population  of  1880  at  6,367,330;  and 
in  1891  at  8,277,039  for  1890 — an  increase  of  1,909,709,  or 
about  30  per  cent.  In  view  of  all  the  circumstances  this 
rate  of  growth  does  not  appear  to  be  too  high.  If  it  may 
be  taken  as  applying  to  the  increase  of  Catholic  communi- 
cants in  the  decade  ending  in  1890,  it  would  appear  that 
the  Catholic  Church  must  suffer  very  heavy  losses,  for  its 
net  increase  is  far  below  that  of  the  Protestant  Churches 
represented  in  the  above  table.  How  otherwise  can  its 
moderate  rate  of  increase  be  reconciled  with  the  enormous 
accessions  it  must  have  received  by  an  immigration  which 
helped  the  Lutherans  and  a  few  other  Protestant  bodies  to 
a  far  more  limited  degree? 

10.  How  THE  RELIGIOUS  FORCES  ARE  DISTRIBUTED. — 
While  the  religious  forces  are  established  in  every  State 
and  Territory  of  the  Union  and  bear  more  than  a  hundred 
and  forty  different  denominational  titles,  they  are  massed 
in  a  few  denominations  and  in  a  comparatively  few  States. 
The  five  largest  denominations  comprise  60  per  cent,  of  the 
entire  number  of  communicants;  and  the  ten  largest,  75 
per  cent.  The  Roman  Catholic  Church  is  first,  with 
6,231,000;  the  Methodist  Episcopal  second,  with  2,240,- 
ooo;  the  Regular  Baptists,  Colored,  third,  with  1,349,000; 
the  Regular  Baptists,  South,  fourth,  with  1,280,000;  and 
the  Methodist  Episcopal,  South,  fifth,  with  1,210,000.  The 
Catholic  figures  are  truly  of  magnificent  proportions.  They 
exceed  by  more  than  1 50,000  the  sum  of  those  representing 
the  four  next  largest  denominations.  Every  tenth  person 
in  the  United  States  is  a  Catholic  communicant.  It  is  only 


RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890.  xxxix 

fair,  however,  to  remind  those  interested  in  this  statement 
that  while  a  communicant  is  a  communicant  considered 
statistically,  whether  he  be  a  Catholic  or  a  Protestant,  there 
is  a  difference  between  the  Protestant  and  the  Catholic 
basis  of  membership  which  ought  to  be  kept  constantly  in 
view  when  comparison  is  undertaken.  The  Catholic  au- 
thorities count  as  communicants  all  who  have  been  con- 
firmed and  admitted  to  the  communion,  and  these  virtually 
constitute  the  Catholic  population,  less  all  baptized  persons 
below  the  age  of  nine  or  eleven.  The  Catholic  discipline  does 
not  contemplate  excommunication  for  violations  of  the 
moral  code,  only  for  lapses  from  the  faith  and  refusal  to 
obey  the  ecclesiastical  commandments.  There  are  many 
who  go  to  make  up  the  Protestant  population  who  have 
been  expelled  from  membership  for  offenses  which  the 
C atholic  Church  treats  by  a  very  different  method .  In  other 
words,  while  the  Catholic  Church  reckons  that  85  per  cent, 
of  its  population  are  communicants,  among  Protestants 
the  proportion  is  estimated  to  be  under,  rather  than  over, 
30  per  cent.  The  Protestant  basis  of  membership  is  belief 
and  conduct;  the  Catholic,  belief  and  obedience.  In  any 
given  thousand  of  Catholic  population  there  are  850  com- 
municants and  150  adherents;  while  a  thousand  of  Protest- 
ant population  yields  only  about  300  communicants,  the 
remaining  700  being  adherents.  Thus,  while  the  6,231,000 
Catholic  communicants  represent  a  Catholic  population  of 
about  7,330,000,  the  2,240,000  communicants  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  alone,  indicate  a  Methodist  popu- 
lation of  7,840,000. 

The  Roman  Catholic  Church  is  first  also  in  value  of 
church  property,  of  which  it  returns,  in  round  numbers, 
$118,000,000.  The  Methodist  Episcopal  is  second  ($97,- 
000,000);  the  Protestant  Episcopal  third  ($81,000,000); 
the  Northern  Presbyterian  fourth  ($74,000,000);  and  the 
Northern  Baptists  fifth  ($49,000,000).  Two  of  these  de- 


xl  CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

nominations,  the  Episcopal  and  the  Presbyterian,  are  not 
among  the  five  which  return  the  largest  number  of  com- 
municants. They  stand  third  and  fourth  respectively  in 
the  table  of  church  property,  showing  that  they  are  much 
more  wealthy  in  proportion  to  communicants  than  any  of 
the  five  larger  denominations. 

In  number  of  organizations,  or  congregations,  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church  comes  first,  with  25,861,  and  the 
Roman  Catholic  last,  with  10,231.  The  Southern  Baptists 
are  second,  with  16,238;  the  Southern  Methodists  third, 
with  15,017;  and  the  Colored  Baptists  fourth,  with  12,533. 
The  reason  the  Catholic  congregations  number  only  two- 
fifths  as  many  as  the  Methodist  Episcopal  is  because  their 
parishes  are  so  much  larger  and  more  populous.  Some 
Catholic  parishes  embrace  from  12,000  to  16,000  commu- 
nicants, all  using  the  same  edifice.  It  is  a  common  thing  in 
the  cities  for  Catholic  churches  to  have  five  and  six  different 
congregations  every  Sunday. 

To  recapitulate:  The  Roman  Catholic  Church  is  first 
in  the  number  of  communicants  and  value  of  church  prop- 
erty, and  fifth  in  number  of  organizations  and  houses  of 
worship;  the  Methodist  Episcopal  is  first  in  the  number 
of  organizations  and  houses  of  worship,  and  second  in  the 
number  of  communicants  and  value  of  church  property. 

Let  us  now  see  how  the  five  leading  denominational 
families  or  groups  stand.  The  Catholics,  embracing  seven 
branches,  come  first  as  to  communicants,  with  6,258,000; 
the  Methodists,  embracing  seventeen  branches,  come  second, 
with  4,598,000;  the  Baptists,  thirteen  branches,  are  third, 
with  3,718,000;  the  Presbyterians,  twelve  branches,  are 
fourth,  with  1,278,000;  and  the  Lutherans,  sixteen  branches, 
are  fifth,  with  1,231,000.  It  will  be  observed  that  the  com- 
bined Methodist  branches  have  about  1,600,000  fewer  com- 
municants than  the  combined  Catholic  branches. 

As  to  the  value  of  church  property,  the  Methodist  fam- 


RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890.  xli 

ily  is  first,  the  figures  being  $132,000,000.  The  Catholic 
family  is  second,  $118,000,000;  the  Presbyterian  third, 
$95,000,000;  Episcopalian  fourth,  $82,835,000;  the  Bap- 
tist fifth,  $82,390,000.  Thus,  among  denominational 
families  the  Catholics  are  first  in  the  number  of  commu- 
nicants, second  in  value  of  church  property,  and  fourth  in 
the  number  of  organizations  and  houses  of  worship.  The 
Methodists  are  first  in  the  number  of  organizations  and 
houses  of  worship  and  value  of  church  property. 

Naturally  we  should  expect  to  find  the  greatest  number 
of  communicants  in  the  States  having  the  greatest  popula- 
tion. New  York  has  nearly  6,000,000  population,  and 
returns  2,171,822  communicants.  Pennsylvania,  second 
in  population,  is  also  second  in  communicants,  reporting 
1,726,640.  Illinois  is  third  in  population,  but  fourth  in 
communicants;  Ohio,  fourth  in  population,  but  third  in 
communicants;  Missouri,  fifth  in  population,  but  sixth 
in  communicants;  Massachusetts,  sixth  in  population,  but 
fifth  in  communicants.  This  shows  that  the  percentage  of 
communicants  to  population  varies  even  in  the  older  States. 
In  New  York  it  is  36.21;  in  Pennsylvania,  32.84;  in  Ohio, 
33.13;  in  Illinois,  31.43;  and  in  Massachusetts,  42.11.  The 
highest  in  any  State  is  44.17,  in  South  Carolina;  the  lowest, 
12.84,  in  Nevada.  The  highest  percentage  is  not  found  in 
any  State,  but  in  a  Territory.  New  Mexico's  population 
are  communicants  to  the  extent  of  68.85  per  cent.;  and, 
strange  to  say,  Utah  is  second,  its  percentage  being  61.62. 
New  Mexico  is  predominantly  Catholic.  This  explains  its 
high  percentage  of  communicants.  Utah  is  the  stronghold 
of  the  Mormons,  and,  like  the  Catholics,  they  report  a  large 
membership  in  proportion  to  their  population.  The  Cath- 
olics are  numerically  the  strongest  in  thirty-three  States  and 
Territories,  including  the  New  England,  the  Pacific,  the 
newer  Northwestern,  and  various  Western  and  Southern 
States;  the  Methodists  in  South  Carolina,  Tennessee,  West 


xlii  CHARACTERISTICS JN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

Virginia,  Delaware,  Florida,  Indiana,  Indian  Territory, 
Kansas,  and  Oklahoma;  the  Baptists  in  Alabama,  Arkansas, 
Georgia,  Kentucky,  Mississippi,  North  Carolina,  Texas,  and 
Virginia;  and  the  Latter-Day  Saints  in  Utah. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  Pennsylvania  is  the  strong- 
hold of  the  Lutherans,  the  Presbyterians,  the  Moravians, 
the  Mennonites,  and  the  Reformed  (German) ;  North  Car- 
olina of  the  Methodists;  New  York  of  the  Catholics,  the 
Jews,  the  Episcopalians,  the  Universalists,  and  the  Re- 
formed (Dutch) ;  Massachusetts  of  the  Congregationalists, 
Unitarians,  Swedenborgians,  Spiritualists;  Georgia  of  the 
Baptists;  Missouri  of  the  Disciples  of  Christ;  Indiana  of 
the  Friends;  Ohio  of  the  United  Brethren. 

While  New  York  is  first  among  the  States  in  number  of 
communicants  and  also  in  value  of  church  property,  it  does 
not  occupy  this  position  as  respects  number  of  organizations 
and  of  church  edifices.  Pennsylvania  leads  in  both  these 
particulars,  having  more  organizations  and  church  edifices 
than  any  other  State.  Ohio  occupies  the  second  place 
and  New  York  the  third  as  to  edifices  and  the  fifth  as  to 
organizations.  The  following  table  shows  how  the  posi- 
tions of  the  leading  States  vary  in  the  different  columns. 
In  each  list  the  States  are  arranged  in  the  order  of  numer- 
ical precedence. 


Communicants. 

Value  of  Church 
Property. 

Church  Edifices. 

Organizations. 

I. 

New  York. 

i. 

New  York. 

i. 

Pennsylvania. 

i. 

Pennsylvania. 

2. 

Pennsylvania. 

2. 

Pennsylvania. 

2. 

Ohio. 

2. 

Ohio. 

3- 

Ohio. 

3- 

Massachusetts. 

3- 

New  York. 

3- 

Texas. 

4- 

Illinois. 

4- 

Ohio. 

4- 

Illinois. 

4- 

Illinois. 

5- 

Massachusetts. 

5- 

Illinois. 

5- 

Georgia. 

5- 

New  York. 

6. 

Missouri. 

6. 

New  Jersey. 

6. 

North  Carolina. 

6. 

Missouri. 

7- 

Indiana. 

7. 

Missouri. 

7. 

Missouri. 

7. 

Georgia. 

8. 

North  Carolina. 

8. 

Michigan. 

8. 

Alabama. 

8. 

North  Carolina. 

9- 

Georgia. 

9- 

Indiana. 

9- 

Indiana. 

9- 

Indiana. 

10. 

Texas. 

10. 

Connecticut. 

10. 

Tennessee. 

10. 

Alabama. 

Only  six  States  appear  in  all  these  tables,  viz.,  New  York, 
Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Illinois,  Missouri,  and  Indiana.     Texas. 


RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890.  xliii 

which  is  tenth  in  the  list  arranged  according  to  number  of 
communicants,  and  does  not  appear  at  all  in  those  for  value 
of  church  property  and  number  of  church  edifices,  stands 
third  in  that  for  number  of  organizations.  This  indicates 
that  the  average  number  of  communicants  to  each  organiza- 
tion is  much  smaller  in  Texas  than  in  the  other  States  men- 
tioned. Texas  has  a  smaller  percentage  of  urban  popula- 
tion than  the  other  States,  excepting  North  Carolina, 
Alabama,  and  Georgia;  it  has  an  immense  area,  and  it  is 
therefore  natural  that  its  organizations  should  be  small  and 
numerous. 

ii.  THE  EVANGELICAL  AND  NON-EVANGELICAL  ELE- 
MENTS.— These  terms  are  commonly  applied  to  Protestants. 
The  sense  in  which  they  are  used  has  already  been  denned; 
but  it  is  easier  to  define  the  terms  than  to  classify  denom- 
inations under  them.  In  which  class,  for  example,  should 
Universalists  be  put?  They  have  not  been  admitted  to  the 
Evangelical  Alliance,  chiefly  because  of  their  views  respect- 
ing the  nature  and  duration  of  future  punishment;  but  on 
the  main  points  of  New  Testament  Christianity  they  are 
generally  evangelical.  On  the  single  question  of  the  future 
of  the  wicked  dead  some  of  the  branches  of  the  Adventist 
family  and  other  bodies  would  be  excluded  from  the  evan- 
gelical list;  but,  on  the  whole,  would  it  be  quite  fair  to 
class  as  non-evangelical  those  who  believe  in  the  divinity 
of  Christ,  in  the  necessity  and  sufficiency  of  his  atonement, 
and  in  salvation  by  faith  alone?  By  some  the  Christians 
or  Christian  Connection  have  been  classified  with  the  Uni- 
tarians; but  they  have  become,  in  late  years,  quite  ortho- 
dox, and  are  undoubtedly  evangelical.  In  most  evangelical 
denominations  persons  are  to  be  found  who  are  non-evan- 
gelical; and  in  some  of  the  non-evangelical  denominations 
there  are  members  who  are  thoroughly  evangelical.  Yet  we 
cannot  draw  the  line  through  denominations;  we  must 
draw  it  between  them.  The  classification  must  therefore 


xliv 


CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


be  more  or  less  arbitrary,  and  due  allowance  should  be 
made  for  this  fact. 

There  are  a  few  bodies  which  manifestly  ought  not  to 
be  classified  as  either  evangelical  or  liberal.  These  may 
properly  be  put  in  a  separate  list. 


EVANGELICAL  DENOMINATIONS. 


DENOMINATIONS. 


Organi- 
zations. 


Communi- 
cants. 


Adventists 1,757  60,491 

Baptists 43,029  3,717,969 

Brethren  (River) in  3,427 

Brethren  (Plymouth) 314  6,661 

Catholic  Apostolic 10  1,394 

Christadelphians * 63  1,277 

Christians 1,424  103,722 

Christian  Missionary  Association 13  754 

Christian  Union 294  18,214 

Church  of  God 479  22,511 

Congregationalists 4,868  512,771 

Disciples  of  Christ 7,246  641,051 

Dunkards 989  73,795 

Evangelical  Association 2,310  133,313 

Friends  (3  bodies) 855  85,216 

Friends  of  the  Temple 4  340 

German  Evangelical  Synod 870  187,432 

Lutherans 8,595  1,231,072 

Mennonites 550  41,541 

Methodists 51,489  4,589,284 

Moravians 94  11,781 

Presbyterians 13,476  1,278,332 

Protestant  Episcopal  (2  bodies) 5, 102  540,509 

Reformed 2,181  309,458 

Salvation  Army 329  8,742 

Schwenkf  eldians 4  306 

Social  Brethren 20  913 

United  Brethren 4,526  225,281 

Independent  Congregations 156  14,126 

Total 151,158  13,821,683 

CATHOLIC. 

Catholic  bodies 10,276  6,257,871 


RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890. 


xlv 


NON-ORTHODOX. 


Christian  Scientists 

Church  of  the  New  Jerusalem 

Church  Triumphant  (Schweinfurth) . 

Communistic  Societies 

Friends  (Hicksite) 

German  Evangelical  Protestant 

Latter-Day  Saints 

Spiritualists 

Unitarians 

Universalists . . 


221 

154 
12 

32 
201 

52 
856 

334 
421 

956 


Total 


NON-CHRISTIAN. 


Chinese  Temples. 
Ethical  Culturists. 

Jews , 

Theosophists 


Total 


RECAPITULATION. 


Evangelical . . . 

Catholic 

Non-Orthodox. 
Non-Christian. 


47 
4 

533 
40 

624 


10,276 

3,239 
624 


Communi- 
cants. 

8,724 

7,095 

384 

4,049 

21,992 

36,156 

166,125 

45,030 

67,749 

49,194 


3,239    406,498 


1,064 

130,496 

695 

132,255 


13,821,683 

6,257,871 

406,498 

132,255 


Total 165,297     20,618,307 

From  this  it  appears  that  the  non-evangelical,  non- 
orthodox,  and  non-Christian  bodies  count  a  little  more  than 
half  a  million,  or  about  2.6  per  cent,  of  the  aggregate.  The 
evangelical  communicants  are  to  the  non-evangelical  as 
76  to  i,  and  constitute  more  than  67  per  cent,  of  all  commu- 
nicants, Christian  and  non-Christian. 

It  further  appears  that  the  evangelical  organizations  out- 
number all  other  organizations  nearly  n  to  i,  and  form 
more  than  91  per  cent,  of  the  aggregate. 


xlvi          CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

12.  CLASSIFICATION  ACCORDING  TO  POLITY. — The  ex- 
tended tables  given  at  the  end  of  this  book  are  not,  perhaps, 
very  attractive.  But  they  will  repay  careful  study.  There 
are  many  significant  facts  to  be  obtained  from  an  examina- 
tion of  the  summaries  of  colored  organizations,  of  denomi- 
nations arranged  according  to  polity,  and  of  churches  in  the 
cities.  The  last  is  a  new  feature  in  church  statistics. 

Of  the  classification  according  to  polity  a  word  of  ex- 
planation is  necessary.  It  is  difficult  in  some  cases  to  know 
how  to  classify.  It  is  clear  enough  that  Baptists,  Congre- 
gationalists,  and  Disciples  of  Christ  are  congregational; 
but  it  is  not  so  clear  where  the  vast  body  of  Lutherans  be- 
longs. They  are  not,  I  am  persuaded,  purely  presbyterian, 
nor  purely  congregational,  and  certainly  not  purely  epis- 
copal. My  own  inclination  was  to  classify  them  as  presby- 
terian, and  I  wrote  to  representative  men  among  them  for 
their  opinion,  and  it  will  be  interesting  to  quote  from  some 
of  the  responses. 

President  Henry  E.  Jacobs,  of  the  body  known  as  the 
General  Council,  says: 

I  am  not  surprised  at  your  perplexity  concerning  the  classification  of  Lutherans 
with  respect  to  church  polity.  As  the  form  of  government  is  regarded  as  unessen- 
tial, and  to  be  determined  according  to  circumstances,  there  is  a  lack  of  uniform- 
ity. The  Synodical  Conference  gives  to  synods  only  advisory  power,  and  requires 
the  ratification  of  all  synodical  resolutions,  and  even  the  election  of  professors  of 
theology,  by  the  congregations.  Nevertheless,  they  agree  with  the  Presbyterians 
in  maintaining  a  distinction  between  the  lay  and  preaching  elders,  as  one  resting 
upon  Scriptural  foundations.  Muhlenberg's  scheme  of  church  government  clearly 
belongs  to  a  generic  presbyterianism;  and  this  has  been  propagated  in  General 
Council,  General  Synod,  United  Synod  of  South,  and  most  of  the  independent 
synods.  The  General  Council  rejects,  however,  lay  elders,  as  not  warranted  in 
Scripture;  although  in  most  of  its  older  congregations  the  constitutions  have  not 
been  changed  and  a  lay  eldership  is  retained  simply  as  a  useful  but  not  a  Scriptural 
or  necessary  church  institution. 

However  you  may  classify  us,  you  will,  therefore,  not  escape  criticism — and 
that,  too,  with  some  basis  of  truth;  but  taking  everything  into  consideration,  I 
believe  that  you  are  right  in  classifying  us  as  presbyterian. 


RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890.  xlvii 

The  Rev.  J.  Nicum,  of  the  same  branch,  says  the  Lu- 
theran Church  is  not  strictly  presbyterian,  though  usually 
so  classified,  nor  is  it  congregational. 

Everywhere  in  the  Lutheran  Church  there  are  conferences,  synods,  consistories, 
etc.,  to  whom  questions  of  ordination,  discipline,  appeals  from  decisions  of  vestries 
or  congregations  are  taken. 

If  you  now  ask  me  for  a  positive  opinion  as  to  what  the  polity  of  the  Lutheran 
Church  really  is,  I  say  it  is  episcopal,  or  at  least  more  nearly  so  than  anything 
else.  Our  presidents  of  conferences  and  of  synods  are  really  bishops.  They  are 
everywhere  charged  with  the  supervision  of  the  churches,  their  visitation,  the  ordi- 
nation of  pastors,  and  the  recommendation  of  suitable  men  to  vacant  parishes. 
They  also  lay  the  cornerstones  to  new  church  buildings,  dedicate  them,  install 
ministers,  or  appoint  suitable  persons  to  attend  to  these  matters  for  them.  This 
practice  is  universally  followed  in  the  Synodical  Conference,  in  the  General  Coun- 
cil, and  in  almost  all  the  independent  synods.  Jure  divino,  every  pastor  is  bishop 
of  his  flock,  but  the  institution  of  diocesan  bishops  is  a  matter  of  human  expedi- 
ency. This  is  the  Lutheran  view. 

Professor  M.  Giinther,  of  the  Synodical  Conference, 
writes: 

You  may  be  right  in  supposing  "that  it  is,  rather,  presbyterian,"  if  you  have  in 
view  Eastern  bodies.  But  for  them  (General  Council  and  General  Synod)  I  would 
not  speak. 

As  to  the  Synodical  Conference,  its  polity  is  not  strictly  congregational,  but 
near  to  it — in  reference  to  the  main  principle  of  Congregationalism,  that  every  con- 
gregation is  independent  and  self-governing.  We  differ  in  regard  to  the  mode  in 
which  Congregational  churches  assist  each  other,  etc. 

Our  congregations  have  freely  entered  into  a  synodical  union  for  mutual  assist- 
ance and  oversight,  for  the  purpose  of  more  effectually  securing  unity  and  purity 
of  doctrine,  and  of  more  successfully  advancing  the  general  interests  of  the  church 
(institutions,  missions,  etc.).  They  are  represented  by  their  pastors  and  lay  dele- 
gates, who  act  in  their  name,  in  some  cases  being  instructed  by  them.  (Pastors 
whose  congregations  have  not  as  yet  joined  synod  have  no  vote.)  Synod  with  us 
has  only  advisory  power,  no  legislative  or  judicial  power. 

Our  synodical  organization  differs  quite  from  that  of  other  bodies,  even  Lu- 
theran. In  our  body  congregations  govern  themselves— decide  matters  in  con- 
gregational meetings.  In  others,  congregations  are  governed  by  church  councils. 
Synods  are  regarded  as  legislative  and  judicial  bodies,  deposing  pastors,  etc., 
giving  pastors  whose  congregations  do  not  belong  to  synod  a  vote,  etc. 

The  polity  of  the  Synodical  Conference  is,  therefore,  neither  strictly  congrega- 
tional nor  presbyterian.  It  is  based  on  the  so-called  "Collegial  System"  (in  con- 
tradistinction to  episcopalism  and  territorialism),  formed  according  to  the  liberty 
which  the  church  enjoys  in  this  free  country. 


xlviii        CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

Professor  George  H.  Schodde,  of  the  Independent  Synod 
of  Ohio,  says: 

In  theory,  and  in  practice  too,  among  the  most  thorough-going  representatives 
of  historic  Lutheranism,  the  congregational  principle  is  maintained  and  lived  up 
to;  in  reality,  and  by  common  consent,  so  much  power  has  been  delegated  the 
synods  that  the  polity  almost  seems  presbyterian.  There  is  no  disagreement  in 
principle  among  us  as  to  the  congregational  character  of  our  polity;  but  in  prac- 
tice synods  are  generally  a  good  deal  more  than  advisory  bodies.  When,  however, 
it  comes  to  a  clash,  I  have  never  heard  of  a  synod  of  any  prominence  that  has  claimed 
a  right  to  control  the  affairs  of  any  congregation.  The  latter  is  the  highest  court  of 
appeal.  "Synod  is  merely  an  advisory  body"  is  in  theory  the  fundamental  basis 
of  our  polity.  The  struggle  between  the  Ohio  Synod  and  the  General  Council  some 
fifteen  years  ago  was  only  on  the  practical  application  of  this  principle,  not  on  the 
principle  itself.  I  think  our  leading  men  would  with  one  voice  say  that  our  polity 
is  congregational,  and  the  church  to  be  classified  as  such. 

I  give  a  single  other  opinion,  from  a  letter  by  Professor 
E.  J.  Wolf,  of  the  General  Synod.  He  says: 

Theoretically,  our  polity  is  congregational.  Practically,  it  has  varied  according 
to  environment,  especially  so  because  Lutherans  have  never  claimed  any  polity  to 
be  divine  right.  The  Missourians  carry  out  strictly  the  congregational  idea.  Their 
churches  are  republics,  their  ministers  are  presidents,  though  when  in  office  they 
are  almost  absolute  monarchs.  In  the  other  divisions  we  have  synods  correspond- 
ing to  the  presbyteries  of  Calvinism,  and  general  bodies  made  up  of  deputies  from 
the  synods;  but  when  it  comes  "to  the  powers  and  functions  of  the  synod,"  they 
can  hardly  be  said  to  conflict  seriously  "with  the  idea  of  pure  Congregationalism." 
These  powers  are  almost  wholly  "advisory."  The  exceptions  to  this  rule  are  that 
the  Augsburg  Confession  is  the  acknowledged  or  implied  basis  of  every  Lutheran 
church,  and  the  General  Synod  reserves  the  exclusive  right  of  publishing  hymn- 
books,  liturgies,  and  catechisms.  Should,  however,  any  congregation  decline  to 
use  such  manuals  as  the  General  Synod  provides,  it  cannot  be  disciplined,  although 
cases  may  arise  where  the  synod  will  forbid  one  of  its  members  to  officiate  in  a 
recalcitrant  congregation.  The  congregation  itself  cannot  be  dissolved,  and  if  it 
sees  fit  to  withdraw  from  the  synod,  it  does  not  lose  its  character  as  a  Lutheran 
society,  though  the  synod  would  not  allow  one  of  its  menbers  to  serve  such  a  con- 
gregation. 

In  other  words,  the  synod  has  control  over  the  ministers,  which  it  can  depose  as 
well  as  ordain,  although  again  theoretically,  in  both  cases,  only  at  the  instance  of 
a  congregation.  But  the  congregation  does  not  stand  or  fall  through  any  action 
of  synod.  And  just  here  is  the  pivotal  point  where  Congregationalism  and  pres- 
byterianism  both  come  into  our  polity.  A  minister  once  a  member  of  a  synod  is 
subject  to  its  requirements— he  must  submit  to  the  body  he  has  joined.  A  congre- 


RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890.  xlix 

gation  can  defy  a  synod's  action;  but  the  only  prejudice  it  suffers  is  to  lose  its 
connection  with  the  synod.  It  resumes  an  independent  relation,  or  it  may  join  a 
synod  connected  with  another  general  body. 

Amid  such  conflicting  opinions,  I  have  deemed  it  proper 
to  make  a  sort  of  compromise,  and  classify  the  Synodical 
Conference  and  the  Ohio  Synod,  which  all  agree  are  less 
presbyterian  than  other  Lutheran  bodies,  as  congregational, 
and  all  the  rest,  except  the  independent  congregations  who 
also  go  into  the  congregational  list,  as  presbyterian. 

13.  THE  CHURCHES  IN  CITIES. — The  tables  devoted  to 
the  statistics  of  the  Churches  in  the  cities  are  quite  exhaus- 
tive, including  all  municipalities  having  a  population  of 
25,000  and  upward.  The  cities  are  divided,  for  the  sake 
of  convenience,  into  three  classes:  first,  those  having  500,- 
ooo  population  and  upward;  second,  those  having  a  popu- 
lation of  100,000  to  500,000;  and  third,  those  having  a  pop- 
ulation of  25,000  to  100,000. 

The  results  are,  in  brief,  that  there  are  5,302,018  com- 
municants in  these  cities,  or  more  than  a  fourth  of  the  ag- 
gregate for  the  whole  country;  10,241  organizations,  which 
is  less  than  a  sixteenth  of  the  whole  number;  9722  church 
edifices,  which  is  a  little  larger  proportion;  and  church 
property  valued  at  $313,537,247,  or  more  than  46  per 
cent,  of  the  grand  total.  The  large  figures  representing 
church  property  do  not  need  an  explanation.  The  high 
values  of  city  property  account  for  them.  The  cities  have 
an  aggregate  population  of  13,988,938.  Of  this  popula- 
tion it  appears  that  one  for  every  2.64  persons  is  a  com- 
municant. This  is  a  higher  average  than  obtains  in  the 
country  generally,  where  it  takes  more  than  three  persons 
to  yield  one  communicant.  In  the  United  States  there  are 
337+  communicants  in  every  thousand  population;  in  the 
cities,  nearly  379  in  every  thousand.  Much  of  this  differ- 
ence may  be  explained  by  the  fact  that  the  Roman  Catholic 


1  CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

strength  is  chiefly  in  the  cities,  and  it  has  a  larger  proportion 
of  communicants  to  its  religious  population  than  any  other 
denomination.  The  fact  that  the  average  of  communicants 
to  population  is  so  large  in  the  cities  must  be  an  encourage- 
ment to  those  who  fear  that  the  church  is  losing  its  grip  on 
the  masses  crowded  into  our  cities. 

In  the  matter  of  church  edifices  a  little  calculation  will 
make  it  appear  that  the  cities  of  the  second  and  third  classes 
have  more  in  proportion  to  population  than  those  of  the 
first  class.  The  latter  have  one  to  2147  of  the  population; 
those  of  the  second  class,  one  to  1468;  and  those  of  the 
third  class,  one  to  1052. 

Of  the  denominations,  37  are  not  represented  in  any  of 
the  cities.  Only  three — the  Roman  Catholic,  Methodist 
Episcopal,  and  Protestant  Episcopal — are  represented  in 
all  of  them.  Of  the  Jews  (Orthodox),  nearly  92  per  cent, 
are  in  the  cities;  of  the  Jews  (Reformed),  more  than  84 
per  cent. ;  of  the  Unitarians  and  Episcopalians,  upward  of 
48;  of  the  Roman  Catholics,  more  than  42;  of  the  Pres- 
byterians (North),  nearly  29;  of  the  Methodists  (Episcopal), 
nearly  15;  and  of  the  Southern  Baptists  and  Southern 
Methodists,  only  about  4. 

14.  THE  NEGRO  IN  His  RELATIONS  TO  THE  CHURCH.— 
The  negro  is  a  religious  being  wherever  you  find  him  and 
under  whatever  conditions.  In  his  own  continent,  where 
civilizing  influences  have  hardly  begun  to  lift  him  above  the 
state  of  savage  degradation  in  which  he  has  so  long  re- 
mained, his  religious  instincts  are  dominant.  They  find 
expression  often  in  superstitious,  idolatrous,  and  cruel  rites 
and  observances;  but  he  has,  nevertheless,  conceptions  of 
beings  of  exalted  power  who  affect  the  destiny  of  men. 

The  negro  of  the  United  States  has  no  religion  but  the 
Christian  religion.  He  is  not  a  heathen,  like  our  native 
Indian.  He  worships  but  one  God,  who  is  a  just  and  mer- 


RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890.  U 

ciful  God,  desiring  that  all  men  should  be  free  from  sin, 
and  should  come  to  a  knowledge  of  the  way  of  life  through 
Jesus  Christ.  He  is  still  more  or  less  superstitious;  he 
still  has  some  faith  in  the  power  of  charms;  there  is  still 
some  trace  of  heathenish  practices  in  him;  but  our  own 
race  has  not  altogether  outgrown  childish  thoughts  about 
unlucky  days  and  the  way  to  avoid  the  evil  they  bring, 
and  how  mascots  procure  success.  We  cannot  condemn 
the  negro  for  his  superstition  without  taking  blame  upon 
ourselves  for  the  tenacity  with  which  we  cling  to  belief  in 
signs  and  times  and  things,  lucky  and  unlucky. 

The  negro  of  the  United  States  is  a  Christian,  not  an 
atheist  or  a  doubter.  He  gives  no  countenance  to  secularist 
or  free-thinking  organizations;  nor  does  he  prefer  abnormal 
types  of  religion,  such  as  Mormonism  and  spiritualism. 
Moreover,  he  is  not  a  rationalist,  or  a  theosophist,  or  an 
ethical  culturist.  He  does  not  turn  aside  to  adopt  the 
erratic  ideas  of  little  coteries  of  religionists.  Neither  does 
he  show  a  preference  for  the  Roman  form  of  Christianity. 
The  splendid  ceremonies  of  Catholic  worship  might  be  sup- 
posed to  have  a  strong  attraction  for  him,  but  it  is  not  so. 
The  actual  membership  of  separate  negro  Catholic  churches 
does  not  exceed  fifteen  thousand,  and  yet  the  Catholic 
Church  is  not  weak  in  Louisiana  or  Maryland  or  the  District 
of  Columbia.  Thirty-one  represents  the  total  of  separate 
Catholic  negro  churches,  not  including,  of  course,  the 
negro  communicants  in  mixed  churches. 

The  negro  is  not  only  a  Christian,  he  is  an  evangelical 
Christian.  He  is  a  devout  Baptist  and  an  enthusiastic 
Methodist.  He  loves  these  denominations,  and  seems  to 
find  in  them  an  atmosphere  more  congenial  to  his  warm, 
sunny  nature,  and  fuller  scope  for  his  religious  activity, 
than  in  other  communions.  Perhaps  this  is  due  to  his  long 
association  with  them  and  his  training.  There  is  no  reason 


lii  CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

to  believe  that  he  might  not  have  been  as  intense  a  Presby- 
terian as  he  is  a  Baptist,  or  as  true  a  Congregationalist  as  he 
is  a  Methodist,  if  these  denominations  had  been  able  to  come 
as  near  to  him  in  the  days  of  his  slavery  as  did  the  Baptist 
and  Methodist  churches.  It]  was  fortunate  for  him  that, 
while  he  was  the  slave  of  the  white  master,  that  master  was 
a  Christian  and  instructed  him  in  the  Christian  faith.  The 
school  was  practically  closed  to  him;  but  the  church  was 
open,  and  thus  he  came  into  personal  freedom  and  into  the 
rights  of  citizenship  an  illiterate  man,  but  a  Christian,  with 
that  measure  of  culture  in  things  spiritual  and  moral  that  the 
Christian  faith,  voluntarily  accepted,  necessarily  involves. 
According  to  the  census  of  1890,  there  are  7,470,0x30 
negroes  in  this  country.  This  includes  all  who  have  any 
computable  fraction  of  negro  blood  in  their  veins.  Of 
these  all  except  581,000  are  in  the  old  slave  territory, 
now  embraced  in  sixteen  States  and  the  District  of  Colum- 
bia. In  other  words,  notwithstanding  the  migration  of 
negroes  to  the  North  and  West,  91  per  cent,  of  them  are 
still  in  the  South,  on  the  soil  where  the  Emancipation 
Proclamation  of  1862  reached  them,  and  made  them  for- 
ever freej  from  involuntary  bondage.  The  negro  churches 
of  the  South,  therefore,  form  a  large  and  important  factor 
in  the  Christianity  of  that  section.  In  ten  of  those  States 
the  number  of  negro  communicants  ranges  between  106,000 
and  341,000,  and  in  four  of  them  it  exceeds  the  total  of 
white  communicants.  Thus  in  Alabama,  Georgia,  Missis- 
sippi, and  South  Carolina  there  are  more  colored  than  white 
communicants,  although  in  Mississippi  and  South  Carolina 
only  does  the  negro  population  exceed  the  white.  This 
shows  that  in  point  of  church-membership  the  negro  is 
quite  as  devoted  as  his  white  brother.  Indeed,  the  pro- 
portion of  colored  people  who  are  connected  with  the  church 
throughout  the  United  States  is  larger  than  that  which 


RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890.  liii 

obtains  among  the  white  people.  About  one  in  every  three 
whites  is  a  church-member.  On  this  basis  there  should 
be  2,410,000  colored  members.  The  actual  number  is 
2,674,000,  or  an  excess  of  264,000  beyond  the  proportion 
that  obtains  among  the  whites. 

The  aggregate  of  colored  communicants  in  the  United 
States,  so  far  as  it  could  be  ascertained  by  the  careful 
methods  of  the  census,  is,  in  round  numbers,  2,674,000. 
This  includes  all  colored  denominations,  and  all  colored 
congregations  in  mixed  denominations,  so  far  as  they 
could  be  ascertained;  but  it  does  not  take  account  of  col- 
ored communicants  in  mixed  congregations.  The  number 
omitted,  however,  cannot  be  very  large.  The  States  in 
which  the  negro  communicants  are  most  numerous  are  as 
follows : 

Georgia 341,433       Texas 186,038 

South  Carolina 317,020      Tennessee 131,015 

Alabama 297,161       Louisiana 108,872 

North  Carolina 290,755       Arkansas 106,445 

Virginia. 238,617       Kentucky 92,768 

Mississippi 224,404      Florida 64,337 

In  these  twelve  States  are  found  2,398,865  communicants, 
leaving  about  275,000  to  the  rest  of  the  States  and  Terri- 
tories of  the  Union. 

As  to  denominational  connection,  the  negro  is  predomi- 
nantly Baptist.  More  than  half  of  all  negro  communicants 
are  of  this  faith,  the  exact  number  being  1,403,559.  Most 
of  these  are  Regular  Baptists,  there  being  less  than  20,000 
in  the  Freewill,  Primitive,  and  Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit 
branches.  It  is  significant  that  the  negro  prefers  the  pro- 
gressive and  missionary  type  of  the  Baptist  faith,  and  does 
not  believe  in  the  Hard-shell,  Old  School,  or  anti-mission- 
ary wing.  Not  less  Calvinistic  than  the  most  Calvinistic 


liv  CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

of  the  Regular  Baptists,  he  is  also  strict  in  his  practice  and 
thoroughly  denominational  in  his  spirit,  and  takes  no  little 
satisfaction  in  winning  negro  members  of  other  bodies  to 
the  Baptist  faith. 

The  number  of  negro  Methodists  is  1,190,638,  or  about 
213,000  less  than  the  aggregate  of  colored  Baptists.  The 
Methodists  are  divided  into  more  branches  than  the  Bap- 
tists, those  having  the  episcopal  system  embracing  the  great 
majority  of  church-members.  The  Presbyterians  have 
about  30,000,  the  Disciples  of  Christ  18,578,  and  the  Prot- 
estant Episcopal  and  Reformed  Episcopal  bodies  somewhat 
less  than  5,000.  The  Baptists  are  organized  into  associa- 
tions, and  have  State  conventions;  the  Methodists  and 
Presbyterians  into  annual  conferences  and  presbyteries.  A 
large  measure  of  superintendence  is  characteristic  of  the 
Methodist  bodies,  the  system  of  episcopal  and  sub-episcopal 
supervision  resulting  apparently  in  more  intelligent  en- 
deavor, greater  concert  of  action,  and  better  discipline. 

The  increase  in  the  number  of  colored  communicants 
since  emancipation  has  been  marvelous.  How  many  of 
the  slaves  were  church-members  is  not  and  cannot  be  known 
certainly.  Such  statistics  as  we  have  must  be  regarded  as 
imperfect,  particularly  of  the  colored  Baptists.  There  were 
of  colored  Methodists  at  the  outbreak  of  the  war  about 
275,000,  as  nearly  as  I  can  ascertain.  According  to  this, 
there  has  been  an  increase  in  thirty  years  of  over  900,000 
negro  Methodists.  This  is  truly  enormous.  In  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church  alone  are  more  colored  communi- 
cants, mainly  in  the  South,  than  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  South,  reported  in  1865,  and  the  two  leading  African 
branches  have  had  a  marvelous  growth.  The  number  of 
colored  Baptists  in  1860  did  not,  probably,  exceed  250,000. 
We  do  not  know,  of  course,  how  many  colored  communi- 
cants there  were  who  were  not  organized  into  churches  and 


RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890.  lv 

reported  in  denominational  statistics.  But  according  to 
the  figures  we  have,  there  was  an  increase  in  thirty  years  of 
more  than  1,150,000  colored  communicants.  I  know  of  no 
parallel  to  this  development  in  the  history  of  the  Christian 
church,  when  all  the  circumstances  are  considered. 

The  negro,  considering  the  little  wealth  he  had  when 
slavery  ceased,  has  achieved  wonders  in  the  accumulation 
of  church  property.  The  value  of  the  churches  he  owns  is 
$26,626,000,  the  number  of  edifices  being  23,770.  Making 
due  allowance  for  the  generous  help  which  the  whites  have 
given,  it  still  appears  that  the  negro  has  not  been  unwilling 
to  make  large  sacrifices  for  the  sake  of  religion,  and  that  his 
industry,  thrift,  and  business  capacity  have  been  made  to 
contribute  to  his  successful  endeavors  to  provide  himself 
with  suitable  accommodations  and  to  encourage  men  of  his 
own  race  to  fit  themselves  to  serve  him  as  ministers  in  the 
expectation  of  a  reasonable  support. 

The  foregoing  pages  apply  entirely  to  conditions  as 
shown  by  the  census  of  1890. 


PART  II.— THE  GOVERNMENT  CENSUS  OF  1906. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  second  complete  census  of 
religious  denominations  was  not  taken  for  the  decennial 
year  1900.  While  the  census  law  forbade  the  doing  of  any 
work  for  the  first  two  years  of  the  period  except  that  of 
gathering  and  compiling  the  statistics  of  populations  and 
manufactures,  it  might  have  been  possible,  beginning  in 
1902,  to  have  obtained  the  statistical  facts  for  1900.  For 
purpose  of  comparison  the  decennial  period  is  quite  as  de- 
sirable and  necessary  for  religious  growth  as  for  growth  of 
population;  indeed  the  one  is  associated  with  the  other. 
Nevertheless  a  government  census  of  religious  denomina- 
tions is  of  particular  value,  whenever  taken,  for  the  re- 
sources of  the  Census  Office  are  not  limited  as  to  money, 
clerical  and  expert  help,  and  facilities  of  communication. 
The  mails  are  free  for  correspondence,  and  experts  can  be 
sent  to  any  part  of  the  country  for  personal  inquiry  where 
letters  fail.  The  intelligence,  perseverance,  and  skill 
brought  to  bear  in  securing  the  results  of  1906  are  to  be 
highly  commended,  and  the  wide  range  of  the  inquiry 
brought  together  numerous  items  of  information  which  the 
census  of  1890  did  not  try  to  obtain.  If  in  some  particulars 
the  census  of  1906  seems  unsatisfactory  or  doubtful,  at 
most  points  it  is  complete  and  accurate.  I  do  not  adopt  its 
summaries  among  the  tables  given  in  this  volume,  except 
of  States,  chiefly  because  they  do  not  conform  to  the  de- 
cennial period,  but  I  use  its  figures  for  those  denominations, 
mostly  small  and  obscure,  which  make  no  returns  and  give 

Ivi 


THE  GOVERNMENT  CENSUS  OF  1906.  Ivii 

no  estimates,  and  of  which  little  can  be  ascertained  except 
by  personal  visitation  and  inquiry.  I  give  herewith  some 
of  the  special  statistics  afforded  by  the  census  of  1906. 

The  table,  given  further  on,  compiled  from  the  census  of 
1906,  shows  the  division  by  sex  of  communicants,  something 
new  in  religious  statistics,  only  a  very  few  denominations 
ever  having  given  it;  value  of  church  property  (not  includ- 
ing parsonages)  not  reported  annually  by  a  large  number  of 
denominations;  and  number  of  Sunday-school  scholars,  in 
which  particular  not  all  denominational  statistics  have  been 
complete.  It  should  be  noted  that  the  statistics  include 
returns  of  sex  of  members  for  193,229  organizations,  or 
church  societies,  19,001  not  reporting;  of  value  of  church 
property  for  186,132  organizations,  26,098  not  reporting, 
and  of  Sunday-school  scholars  for  167,574  organizations, 
44,656  organizations  not  reporting. 

i.  SEX  IN  MEMBERSHIP. — The  highest  percentage  of 
female  membership  is  reported  for  the  Church  of  Christ, 
Scientist,  72.4;  the  Congregationalists,  65.9;  the  Seventh- 
Day  Adventists,  65.2;  the  Protestant  Episcopalians,  64.5; 
the  Northern  Presbyterians,  63.5;  and  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  62.6.  The  average  for  all  denominations 
is  56.9.  The  Roman  Catholics  report  nearly  an  even  divi- 
sion, 50.7  per  cent,  female  and  49.3  male.  Of  the  Latter-Day 
Saints,  47.6  per  cent,  are  males  and  52.4  per  cent,  females. 
Immigration  is  undoubtedly  an  important  factor  in  the  per- 
centages. There  are  naturally  many  more  males  among  the 
newly  arrived  foreigners  than  females.  This  it  is  that 
makes  the  percentage  of  females  in  the  Greek  Orthodox 
Church  only  6.1,  and  in  the  Hungarian  Reformed  Church 
31.3.  Of  the  1,285,349  immigrants  admitted  to  the  United 
States  in  the  year  ending  June  30,  1907,  929,976,  or  72.4 
per  cent.,  were  male,  and  355,373,  or  27.6  per  cent.,  female. 
Nearly  all  those  coming  from  Greece  and  Turkey,  and  other 


Iviii 


CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


countries  of  Eastern  Europe,  from  East  India,  Korea,  and 
Japan,  were  males.  The  census  report  calls  attention  to 
the  fact  that  the  percentage  of  males  is  generally  higher  in 
the  South  than  the  North. 


TABLE  OF  SPECIAL  STATISTICS. 


Adventists  (6  bodies)  
Baptists  (16  bodies)  
Brethren   (Dunkards)    (4 
bodies)  

Me 
Male. 

32,088 
2,055,558 

30,028 

mbers. 
Female. 

55,221 
3,289,327 

(53,676 

Value 
Church 
Property. 

$2,425,209 
139,842,656 

2,802x32 

Sunday- 
school 
Scholars. 

69,110 
2,898,914 

78  S7< 

Brethren   (Plymouth)    (4 
bodies)  
Brethren  (River)  (3  bod- 
ies) 

4,390 
I  823 

6,161 

2  74.6 

1  18,200 
i6c  8<o 

8,911 
2  8l2 

Buddhists  (2  bodies)  
Catholic  Apostolic  (2  bod- 
ies) 

2,387 

I,OI4. 

778 

7,OI3 

88,000 
161x00 

913 

42O 

Catholics  (Eastern  Ortho- 
dox) (5  bodies)  .        .    . 

80,004 

17,827 

1,002,701 

840 

Catholics    (Western)    (3 
bodies)  

5.104,270 

<?,  332X44 

203,103,487 

1,482,824 

Christadelphians  

626 

786 

3,24< 

480 

Christians 

4O  74O 

60  O2  2 

2  74O  322 

72  063 

Christian  Catholic 
(Dowie) 

2  33O 

3X3<; 

Christian  Scientists   .  .    . 

22,7^6 

CQ,CQ6 

8,8o6,44I 

16  116 

Christian  Union  
Church  of  God  (Winne- 
brennerian)  

5,626 

0,108 

7,406 
I4.OI2 

299,250 

i,o«:o,7o6 

9,234 
20,487 

Churches  of   the  Living 
God  (Colored)  (3  bod- 
ies) 

1,686 

2  ?OO 

eg  C7C 

i  760 

Church  of  the  New  Jeru- 
salem (2  bodies)  .... 

2.C7Q 

4  480 

1,701,041 

3X44 

Communistic  Societies  (2 
bodies)  

966 

I,3O6 

31,100 

103 

Congregationalists 

276  068 

4"\7  6l  ^ 

63  24O  3O1 

638  080 

Disciples  of  Christ  (2  bod- 
ies) ... 

432.682 

6  CO  I3Q 

20  00?.3l6 

634  <co4 

Evangelical  (2  bodies).  .  . 
Faith     Associations     (14 
bodies) 

67,448 

A    7Q7 

100,972 

e  7QQ 

8,999,979 

S32  l8^ 

214,998 

7  6l< 

Free  Christian  Church.  .  . 

740 

1,095 

5,975 

340 

Only  9  congregations  have  church  property. 


THE  GOVERNMENT  CENSUS  OF  1906. 


lix 


Friends  (4  bodies)  

Members. 
Male.          Female. 

51,708           60,224 
158              218 

12,830           17,724 
111,681       138,434 

Friends  of  the  Temple.  .  . 
German  Evangelical  Prot- 
estant               

German  Evangelical 
Synod 

Jewish  Congregations   .  . 

Latter-Day   Saints    (2 
bodies)  

117,026 
853,339 

",977 
25,053 
2,042,713 

6,532 

3,368 
1,968 
633,598 

255,165 
181,619 
",977 
3i8 
487 

1,303 
15,135 
953 
21,817 

107,369 
18,279 

26.8o< 

128,776 
998,009 

14,821 

29,745 
3,268,664 
9,189 

3,028 
3,289 
i,037,i97 

462,851 
241,542 
11,360 
407 
775 

737 
19,552 
1,583 
35,866 

160,623 
33,346 

38.012 

Lutherans  (24  bodies)  .  .  . 
Swedish    Evangelical    (2 
bodies) 

Mennonites  (15  bodies).. 
Methodists  (15  bodies)  .  . 
Moravians  (2  bodies)  
Non-Sectarian  Bible  Faith 
Churches       ... 

Pentecostal  Church  

Presbyterians  (12  bodies) 
Protestant   Episcopal    (2 
bodies)  

Reformed  (4  bodies) 

Salvationists  (2  bodies)  .  . 
Schwenkf  elders  

Social  Brethren 

Society  for  Ethical  Cul- 
ture 

Spiritualists  

Theosophical  Societies.  .  . 
Unitarians  

United  Brethren  (2  bod- 
ies)           .... 

Universalists  

Independent     Congrega- 
tions .  . 

Value 

Church 

Property. 

$3,857,451 
II,OOO 

2,556,550 

9,376,402 
23,198,925 

3,168,548 
74,826,389 

1,638,675 

1,237,134 

229,450,996 

936,650 

25,910 

383,990 

150,189,446 

126,510,285 

30,648,247 

3,184,854 

38,700 

13,800 


958,048 

52,300 

14,263,277 

9,073,791 
10,575,656 


Sunday- 

school 

Scholars. 


168 


116,106 
49,514 

130,085 
782,786 

32,504 

44,922 

4,472,930 

12,998 

1,976 
5,039 


474,215 

261,548 

17,521 

991 

180 

466 

2,699 

78 

24,005 

301,320 
42,201 


3,934,267    57,680 


Total 12,767,466  16,849,505  $1,257,575,867  14,685,997 

2.  VALUE  OF  CHURCH  PROPERTY. — The  total  valuation 
of  church  property,  not  including  parsonages,  of  all  de- 
nominations, was  $1,257,575,867,  showing  an  increase  in  the 
16  years  since  the  census  of  1890  of  $578,149,378,  or  85.1 
per  cent.  The  increase,  in  the  same  period,  of  communicants, 
was  60.4  per  cent.,  exclusive  of  Jewish  congregations.  The 
increase  in  value  is  not  accompanied  by  a  corresponding  in- 


Ix  CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

crease  in  the  number  of  church  .edifices  and  in  their  seat- 
ing capacity.  The  gain  in  church  edifices  was  50,308  in 
a  total  of  192,705,  or  a  percentage  of  35.3;  and  in  seating 
capacity  of  14,976,767  in  a  total  of  58,536,830,  or  34.4  per 
cent.  The  conclusion,  therefore,  is  that  more  costly  edi- 
fices have  been  erected,  and  that  there  has  been  a  large 
natural  increase  in  values,  with  increase  in  cost  of  living. 

The  gains  in  value  of  church  property  were  very  un- 
equally distributed.  The  Roman  Catholic  Church,  the 
largest  of  all  denominations,  reported  $292,638,787,  a  gain 
of  147.7  Per  cent-  The  Methodist  bodies  standing  next,  with 
$229,450,996,  gained  only  73.6.  The  Presbyterian  bodies, 
coming  third,  with  $150,189,446,  gained  considerably  less, 
58.3;  the  Baptist  bodies,  with  $139,842,656,  gained  nearly 
70  per  cent.,  and  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  with 
$125,040,498,  gained  54  per  cent.  The  Lutheran  bodies 
more  than  doubled  their  church  valuation,  reporting  in 
1906  $74,826,389,  an  increase  of  $39,766,035,  or  113.4  per 
cent.  The  Disciples  of  Christ  advanced  from  $12,206,038 
to  $29,995,316,  or  145.7  Per  cent. 

The  average  value  of  church  edifices  has  a  wide  variance. 
The  Unitarians  having  their  congregations  mostly  in  cities 
report  the  highest  average  value — $35,141;  the  Jewish 
congregations,  under  similar  conditions,  come  second,  with 
$31,056;  the  Roman  Catholics,  whose  vast  strength  is  also 
largely  in  populous  centres,  is  third,  with  $28,431;  the 
Christian  Scientists,  fourth,  with  $21,961;  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church,  fifth,  with  $20,644.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  Methodist  and  Baptist  bodies  being  widely  distributed, 
and  each  having  a  vast  number  of  edifices,  report  average 
valuations  of  $3,884  and  $2,834  respectively.  As  compared 
with  the  Roman  Catholics,  the  Methodist  bodies  have  more 
than  five  times  as  many  edifices  and  the  Baptist  bodies  more 
than  four  times  as  many. 


THE  GOVERNMENT  CENSUS  OF  1906.  Ixi 

3.  AVERAGE  OF  MEMBERS  TO  CHURCH  EDIFICES. — The 
Roman  Catholic  Church  has  only  11,881  church  edifices  for 
its    12,079,142    communicants,   indicating   an   average   of 
1,017  communicants  to  each  edifice.     The  Lutherans  have 
one  church  edifice  to  188  communicants,  the  Presbyterians 
one  to  119,  the  Baptists  one  to  113,  the  Episcopalians  one  to 
102,  and  the  Methodists  one  to  96.    As  between  Roman 
Catholic  and  Protestant  denominations,  the  difference  in 
average  is  very  marked.     It  is  due,  of  course,  to  the  fact  that 
Roman  Catholic  services  Sunday  mornings  include  from  one 
to  eight  or  nine  masses,  attended  generally  by  different  con- 
gregations, while  in  Protestant  churches  one  service  Sun- 
day morning  is  the  rule.     Some  Catholic  parishes  report  a 
population  of  10,000  or  more.    The  entire  seating  capacity 
of  Catholic  churches  is  only  4,494,377,  as  against  17,053,392 
of  Methodist  churches  and  15,702,377  of  Baptist  churches. 
In  other  words,  the  seating  capacity  of  Catholic  churches 
is  only  sufficient  to  accommodate  a  little  over  one-third 
of  the  Catholic   communicants  at  any  one  hour,  while 
that  of    the    Methodist    churches    would     accommodate 
nearly  three  times  as  many  persons  as  they  have  communi- 
cants. 

4.  TENDENCY    OF   POPULATION   TO   THE    CITIES. — The 
marked  tendency  of  the  population  to  the  cities  is  abun- 
dantly established  by  the  last  two  or  three  decennial  cen- 
suses; in  none  has  it  been  so  great  as  in  that  of  1910.     The 
total  of  population  in  cities  (50  in  number)  having  over 
100,000  was  in  1890,  11,470,364;  in  1900  it  was  15,199,375; 
in  1910  it  was  20,303,047,  indicating  an  increase  of  3,729,001 
in  the  first  of  the  two  decades,  and  of  5,103,672  in  the  second; 
or,  hi  percentage,  of  32.5  for  the  first  and  33.6  for  the  second 
decade.     The  percentages  of  increase  in  particular  cities  in 
the  last  decade  were  phenomenal — in  Birmingham,  Ala., 
over  245;  in  Los  Angeles,  CaL,  over  211 ;  in  Seattle,  Wash., 


bdi  CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

194;  in  Spokane,  Wash.,  over  183;  in  Portland,  Ore.,  more 
than  129;  and  in  Oakland,  Cal.,  more  than  124.  Allowance 
must  be  made,  in  some  cases,  for  annexation  of  suburban 
territory;  most  of  the  increase,  however,  is  the  result  of  the 
sweep  of  population  to  the  cities. 

Taking  cities  having  25,000  to  100,000  population  in  1910, 
179  in  number,  we  find  they  have  an  aggregate  of  8,204,960 
population,  against  5,878,814  in  1900,  indicating  an  in- 
crease of  2,326,146,  or  39.6  per  cent.,  as  compared  with  34.3 
per  cent,  in  the  previous  decade. 

The  cities  having  25,000  population  and  upward  in  1910 
number  229.  The  total  of  population  they  report  is  28,- 
543,816,  an  increase  for  the  decade  of  7,465,627,  or  over 
35  per  cent.  In  round  numbers,  the  total  population  of  the 
United  States, not  including  Alaska, Porto  Rico,  and  Hawaii, 
is  92,000,000,  and  the  gain  of  the  decade  about  16,000,000. 
It  would  appear,  therefore,  that  while  the  population  of  the 
cities  is  31  per  cent,  of  the  total  population  of  the  country, 
the  absolute  increase  reported  by  them  is  more  than  46  per 
cent,  of  the  increase  for  the  whole  country.  In  other  words, 
the  increase  for  the  whole  country,  including  the  cities,  is 
2 1 ,  while  the  increase  for  the  cities  is  over  35  per  cent.  Much 
more  striking  is  the  fact  that  the  increase  of  the  population, 
54,900,000  in  round  numbers  in  1900,  and  63,498,450  in 
1910,  outside  the  cities  was  only  8,528,450,  or  between  15 
and  1 6  per  cent.,  while  the  increase  in  the  229  cities  was 
7,465,627,  or  over  35  per  cent. 

5.  COMMUNICANTS  IN  THE  CITIES. — The  drift  of  popula- 
tion to  the  cities  must,  of  course,  affect  the  churches  as 
profoundly  as  it  affects  the  municipalities.  The  business 
area  must  increase,  involving  changes  in  the  residence  sec- 
tions. Hence  the  down-town  problem,  congested  areas, 
foreign-speaking  sections,  new  residence  areas,  etc.,  re- 
quiring quick  and  extensive  adjustments  by  the  churches. 


THE  GOVERNMENT  CENSUS  OF  1906, 


Ixiii 


The  following  table,  compiled  from  the  United  States  Cen- 
sus of  Religious  Bodies  for  1906,  shows  the  relative  strength 
of  the  various  religious  bodies  in  the  cities,  160  in/number, 
having,  according  to  the  census  of  1900,  25,oo^Snd  more  in 
population  outside  the  cities: 


COMMUNICANTS  IN  THE  CITIES. 


Baptist  bodies  

Cities 

25,000 
and  over. 

686,784 

Outside 
the 
cities. 

Per  cent, 
in   the 
cities.     1 

12  I 

Per  cent, 
outside 
the  cities. 

8?  O 

-  Christian  Scientists  
Congregationalists  

70,772 
217,  £07 

14,945 
4.82  O73 

82.6 
31  I 

17.4 

68  9 

Disciples  of  Christ   . 

I  Oil  6O4. 

114. 

88  6 

Friends 

13  I2Q 

TOO  64.3 

88  £ 

Jewish  Congregations.  .  . 
Lutheran  bodies         .  .  . 

89,947 
£21,4.04. 

11,510 
I   £QI  COO 

88.7 
24.  7 

II-3 

7"?  3 

-Mennonite  bodies 

I.I76 

C?    622 

2  I 

/  J'O 

Methodist  bodies  

8l2,OOO 

4,037,730 

14.  1 

85  9 

Presbyterian  bodies  
Protestant  Episcopal  .  .  . 
Reformed  bodies 

453,966 
137  037 

1,326,780 
432,976 

311  £77 

27-5 
51.2 

3O  7 

72.5 
48.8 
60  3 

Roman  Catholic 

6  3O7   £2Q 

5776  6l3 

52  2 

4.7  8 

Unitarians 

32  84.O 

37  7O2 

46  6 

All  other  bodies  

£  3  1,  4.68 

I,36£,  133 

38.0 

61.1 

Total 10,511,178      22,425,267 


31-9 


68.1 


The  percentage  of  church-members  in  the  cities,  31.9,  is, 
on  the  whole,  a  fair  showing  for  the  churches.  Assuming 
that  the  change  in  population  percentages  since  1906  have 
not  been  very  great,  it  would  appear  that  the  percentage  of 
church-members  in  the  cities,  31.9  in  1906,  is  only  a  few 
points  behind  that  of  the  population,  33.6  in  1910. 

6.    VALUE  OF  CHURCH  PROPERTY  IN  THE  CITIES. — The 
following  table,  gathered  from  the  United  States  Census  of 


Ixiv          CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

1906,  shows  the  value  of  church  property  in  cities  of  the 
various  classes: 

AVERAGE  VALUE  or  CHURCH  PROPERTY  IN  THE  CITIES  IN  1906. 


CITIES. 

300  ooo  and  over 

•KT           Church 
No-        Edifices. 

II          ^  77O 

™"<-           vXse 

$34.0  4.3O   <\O2    $>^O  OOO 

100  ooo  to  300  ooo   .  .  . 

27          -2  OO3 

IIO  3"\7  O3I       28  27S 

50  ooo  to  100,000  

4.O         3,07? 

82,271.671       26  71?1? 

25  ooo  to    50  ooo 

82          3  760 

7O  773  121       21   l66 

Total 

1  1  60       1  6  <I7 

$6l2  8^3  3I<    $37  IO3 

Outside  the  cities       .    . 

176  278 

6d4.  74.2   <^2          3  6<\7 

Grand  Total i92>795  $1,257,575,867     $6,523 

It  will  be  observed  that  nearly  half  the  total  value  of 
church  property  in  the  United  States  is  reported  in  the  160 
cities;  the  16,517  churches  in  the  cities  returning  a  total 
valuation  of  $612,833,315,  while  176,278  churches  outside 
the  cities  returned  a  valuation  of  $644,742,552.  That  is  to 
say,  nearly  eleven  times  as  many  churches  outside  the 
cities  returned  a  valuation  only  $32,000,000  greater  than 
the  churches  in  the  cities.  This  is  not  at  all  surprising,  as 
not  only  is  property  vastly  more  valuable  in  the  crowded 
centres,  but  there  the  churches  command  wealth,  and 
buildings  are  much  larger  and  more  sumptuous.  The 
average  value  of  city  edifices,  including,  of  course,  site 
and  furniture,  is  $37,103,  while  the  average  value  of 
churches  outside  the  cities  is  $6,523. 

7 .  GROWTH  BY  STATES  IN  COMMUNICANTS  . — The  changes 
in  sixteen  years  shown  in  the  column  of  communicants  by 
States  are  quite  remarkable.  The  increase  in  communi- 
cants for  the  United  States,  not  including  its  colonial  posses- 
sions and  Alaska  from  1890  to  1906,  reached  12,332,990,  or 
nearly  60  per  cent,  for  the  sixteen  years.  The  increases  in 

i  According  to  census  of  igoo  ;  the  number  in  IQIO  was  229. 


THE  GOVERNMENT  CENSUS  OF  1906.  kv 

the  various  States  would  naturally  be  affected  by  the  tides 
of  migration — the  flow  from  foreign  immigration  and  the 
flow  or  ebb  of  population  from  or  to  other  States;  also  by 
the  prevalence  of  the  Roman  Catholic  and  Eastern  Ortho- 
dox Churches,  which  report  a  much  higher  percentage  of 
their  " populations  "  as  communicants  than  do  other  bodies. 
The  States  least  affected  by  foreign  immigration  are  natu- 
rally those  of  the  South  and  the  far  West;  but  those  of  the 
far  West  have  increased  immensely  by  the  migration  of 
population  from  States  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 
The  older  South  has  contributed  to  the  currents  setting  to 
the  Pacific  Coast,  but  more  heavily  to  those  which  have 
filled  up  Texas,  Oklahoma,  and  Arizona  and  crossed  the 
border  to  the  Canadian  Northwest. 

8.  THE  RATE  OF  GROWTH  IN  THE  SOUTH. — The  increase 
of  communicants  in  the  body  of  the  South  has  naturally 
fallen  below  the  percentage  which  obtains  in  the  whole 
country.  Virginia,  to  begin  south  of  the  Potomac,  the 
Carolinas,  Georgia,  Alabama,  Mississippi,  Florida  (de- 
spite the  migration  from  the  North),  Arkansas,  Kentucky, 
Tennessee,  all  fall  below  the  general  percentage  of  growth, 
North  Carolina  showing  a  gain  of  only  20  per  cent.  Louisi- 
ana constitutes  a  notable  exception  in  the  rate  of  increase, 
having  almost  doubled  its  number  of  communicants,  which 
is  far  beyond  the  increase  of  population.  The  explanation 
is  to  be  found  in  the  growth  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church. 
It  had  in  1890  a  little  less  than  20  per  cent,  of  the  population ; 
in  1906  it  had  31  per  cent.  In  the  same  period  the  popula- 
tion increased  nearly  38  per  cent.  Taking  the  States  of  the 
South,  except  Florida,  Louisiana,  and  Texas,  which  had  an 
unusual  growth  in  the  period  under  consideration,  it  will  be 
found  that  in  every  State,  save  North  Carolina  alone,  the 
net  increase  in  communicants  was  large,  considerably  larger 
than  the  net  increase  of  population,  showing  that  the 


Ixvi          CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

Churches  in  that  section  of  the  country,  whatever  may  be 
said  of  other  sections,  enjoyed  a  high  measure  of  prosperity. 
The  following  table  of  increases  will  make  this  clear: 

Percentage  of  Percentage  of 

STATES.  increase  in  popu-      increase  in  commu- 

tation, 1890-1906.    nicants,  1890-1906. 

Alabama 33  47 

Arkansas 26  44 

Florida 161  56 

Georgia 33  52 

Kentucky 25  42 

Louisiana 48  95 

Maryland 22  25 

Mississippi 32  53 

Missouri 26  63 

North  Carolina 27  20 

South  Carolina 26  79 

Tennessee 23  26 

Texas 54  81 

Virginia 13  38 

It  is  very  remarkable  that  Virginia,  gaining  only  13  per 
cent,  in  population,  should  have  gained  38  per  cent,  in  com- 
municants; and  simply  amazing  that  Missouri  and  South 
Carolina  should  show  such  immense  advances  in  Church 
growth  beyond  the  growth  in  population.  Oklahoma, 
though  properly  a  Southern  State,  is  not  included  in  the 
above  comparison,  because  its  growth  has  been  abnormal, 
and  has  been  gathered  from  many  sources. 

Putting  the  matter  in  another  way,  the  Churches  have 
made,  in  most  of  the  Southern  States,  a  marked  gain  upon 
what  may  be  roughly  called  the  unchurched  population; 
that  is,  those  who  are  not  communicants.  For  example, 
in  Missouri,  in  1890, 72.5  per  cent,  of  the  population  were  not 
church-members;  in  1906  the  percentage  was  64.3;  in  Vir- 
ginia, whose  increase  in  population  was  only  13  per  cent.,  the 
number  of  persons  in  every  100  not  church-members  was 
reduced  from  65.6  in  1890  to  59.8  in  1906;  in  Louisiana, 
from  64.2  in  1890  to  49.4  in  1906. 


THE  GOVERNMENT  CENSUS  OF  1906.  Ixvii 

9.  THE  LARGEST  ABSOLUTE  INCREASES. — Turning  now 
to  the  other  States  of  the  Union  we  find  that  the  largest 
absolute  increases  in  communicants  were  as  follows: 

New  York 1,420,152       Wisconsin 444,420 

Pennsylvania 1,250,382       Michigan 412,975 

Illinois 874,609      Louisiana 378,909 

Massachusetts 619,870       Georgia 349,986 

Texas 549,745       New  Jersey 349,197 

Ohio 526,407       California 330,845 

Missouri 463,400      Minnesota 301,852 

In  most  of  these  States  the  chief  factor  in  the  gains  is  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church.  In  New  York  and  New  Jersey 
the  Protestant  percentage  of  the  population  was  less  in 
1906  than  in  1890,  while  the  Catholic  was  greater.  In 
Pennsylvania,  the  Protestant  gain  was  2.8,  the  Catholic  7.1 ; 
in  Massachusetts,  the  Protestant  gain  was  .6;  the  Catholic 
8.  In  Texas  the  Protestants  have  25.8  of  the  population, 
a  gain  of  one- tenth  of  i  per  cent.,  while  the  Catholics 
advanced  from  4.5  to  8.7.  Ohio  is  still  a  strong  Protes- 
tant State;  Missouri  likewise,  but  in  the  latter  the  Catho- 
lics are  gaining  faster  than  the  Protestants.  In  Michigan 
and  Wisconsin  the  rate  of  Catholic  growth  is  large,  the 
Catholic  percentage  of  population  in  the  latter  having  in 
the  period  under  review  passed  the  Protestant.  Louisiana 
is,  of  course,  strongly  Catholic.  Georgia  is  a  Baptist  State, 
and  there  the  Catholic  growth  is  inappreciable.  California 
shows  a  gain  in  the  Protestant  percentage  of  population  of 
4.9  and  of  Catholic  8.6.  The  latter  now  have  21.5  in  every 
100  and  the  former  14.3.  In  Minnesota,  which  is  a  Luth- 
eran State,  the  Protestant  percentage  has  advanced  from 
19.7  to  22.2,  while  the  Catholic  percentage  has  fallen  from 
20.7  to  18.7.  This  is  one  of  ten  States  which  show  an  in- 
crease in  the  Protestant  percentage  and  a  decrease  in  the 
Catholic,  namely  Maryland,  Florida,  Minnesota,  North 


Ixviii        CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

Dakota,  Tennessee,  Wyoming,  New  Mexico,  Arizona,  Utah, 
Oregon.    The  same  is  also  true  of  the  District  of  Columbia. 
The  growth  by  percentage  brings  into  view  a  different  list 
of  States,  as  follows: 

Oklahoma 652  South  Dakota 89 

Washington 227  New  Hampshire 85 

Idaho 210  Texas 81 

Montana 202  Wisconsin 80 

North  Dakota 167  Rhode  Island 79 

Nevada 154  Nebraska 78 

Colorado 137  Illinois 73 

California 118  Michigan 73 

Wyoming 105  Pennsylvania 72 

Louisiana 95  Oregon 70 

10.  EFFECT  OF  MIGRATION. — In  this  group  of  States  the 
large  percentages  are  not  specially  significant,  except  as 
showing  how  migration  into  the  newer  States  is  affecting 
church  growth.  In  seven  of  the  States  they  are  large  be- 
cause the  numbers  were  so  small  in  1890;  they  were  not  re- 
markably large  in  1906.  Colorado  and  California  have  both 
grown  by  the  flow  of  migration  into  their  borders,  but  the 
gains  of  the  Churches  have  been  greater  than  those  of  popu- 
lation. New  Hampshire  has  lost  in  Protestant  and  gained 
in  Catholic  percentage,  due  chiefly  to  immigration.  The 
large  Texas  percentage  is  due  chiefly  to  the  enormous  in- 
crease in  population.  Wisconsin,  Rhode  Island,  Illinois, 
and  Michigan  owe  their  notable  percentages  largely  to 
Catholic  growth,  to  which  immigrants  have  no  doubt  greatly 
contributed.  Nebraska  was  nearly  stationary  in  population ; 
but  the  Churches,  both  Protestant  and  Catholic,  appear  to 
have  been  exceedingly  active,  and  very  successful  in  adding 
to  their  membership.  Pennsylvania  shows  a  much  larger 
percentage  of  communicants  of  all  faiths  in  1906  than  in 
1890. 


PART  III— THE   RETURNS   FOR   1900   AND    1910 
AND  WHAT  THEY  SHOW. 

As  already  stated  the  Government  census  of  religious 
bodies  was  not  repeated  in  1900  and  1910;  but  was  taken 
in  great  elaboration  of  detail  in  1906.  As  some  of  the 
denominations  do  not  attempt  to  gather  and  publish  annual 
statistics  of  their  own  numbers,  it  is  necessary  either  to 
take  the  census  returns  for  them  or  to  prevail  upon  their 
leading  ministers  to  furnish  more  or  less  approximate 
estimates.  As  the  census  agents  do  particularly  effective 
work  in  reaching  these  denominations  it  is  manifestly  the 
part  of  wisdom  to  adopt  the  census  figures  in  such  cases. 
Therefore  in  the  general  tables  of  1900,  the  census  of  1890 
has  been  followed  in  particular  cases,  and  in  those  of  1910, 
that  of  1906. 

i.  GROWTH  OF  THE  CHURCHES  IN  THE  PAST  TWENTY 
YEARS. — A  study  of  the  denominational  summaries  for 
1900  and  1910  will  give  much  encouragement  to  those  de- 
sirous that  the  Churches  shall  prosper  and  prevail.  The 
growth  in  these  periods,  considering  the  increasing  complex- 
ity of  the  population,  the  multiplication  of  languages,  the 
immense  tide  of  foreign  immigration  from  Eastern,  Southern, 
and  Northern  Europe,  and  other  countries;  the  crowding 
of  the  cities  with  a  heterogeneous  population,  and  the  crea- 
tion of  problems  of  congested  foreign  quarters,  "down-town" 
churches,  etc. ;  the  draining  of  rural  districts  and  the  ques- 
tion of  abandoned  country  churches;  sudden  migrations 
from  older  to  newer  States — considering  the  immense 


Ixx  CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

difficulties  the  Churches  have  had  to  encounter,  the  growth 
of  the  last  twenty  years  has  been  most  remarkable.  There 
never  was,  it  is  safe  to  say,  a  more  active  double  decade  in 
the  history  of  the  country.  The  problem  of  finance  alone, 
which  has  been  carried  to  a  successful  solution,  would  have 
brought  a  paralysis  of  discouragement  upon  a  previous 
generation.  The  building  of  new  churches  for  new  com- 
munities and  in  newer  sections  of  older  communities;  of 
costly  cathedrals  and  churches  of  modern  character  and 
equipment  in  cities  and  towns;  of  large  and  expensive 
structures  to  replace  old  and  outgrown  edifices;  the  in- 
creased expense  of  elaborate  church  adornments  and  fur- 
nishings; the  constantly  growing  budget  of  current  expenses 
for  ministerial  salaries,  for  music,  maintenance,  etc.;  the 
call  for  home  and  foreign  missions,  schools,  colleges,  hos- 
pitals, and  other  necessary  church  institutions — these  and 
similar  demands  have  tested  the  loyalty  and  resources  of 
church-members. 

Church-members  must  have  realized  that  though  they 
may  occasionally  sing  "Salvation's  free,"  it  costs  enor- 
mously to  maintain  it,  and  yet  they  have  multiplied  in  a 
remarkable  degree.  The  net  gain  in  the  first  ten  years  was 
six  and  two-third  millions  and  in  the  second  seven  and  two- 
third  millions — more  than  sixteen  and  a  half  millions  in  the 
two  decades — 1890-^910.  It  must  not  be  forgotten  that 
before  any  net  increase  can  be  reported  the  losses  due  to 
death,  removal,  withdrawal,  excommunication,  etc.,  must 
be  made  good  out  of  new  accessions.  The  16,626,989  of  net 
increase  in  the  twenty  years  represent  a  growth  of  nearly 
8 1  per  cent.  In  other  words,  at  this  rate  of  increase  the 
aggregate  of  communicants  in  1890 — 20,618,307 — would  be 
doubled  in  less  than  twenty-five  years.  With  all  conceivable 
allowances  for  a  large  immigration,  etc.,  this  rate  of  advance 
is  truly  most  remarkable. 


THE  RETURNS  FOR  1900  AND  1910.  Ixxi 

2 .  THE  LARGEST  ABSOLUTE  INCREASES  . — The  denomina- 
tions showing  the  largest  absolute  increase  in  communicants 
during  the  twenty  years  are:  the  Roman  Catholic,  6,183,- 
680,  or  99  per  cent.;  the  Southern  Baptist,  1,003,000,  or  78 
per  cent.;  the  Methodist  Episcopal,  946,508,  or  42  per  cent.; 
the  Disciples  of  Christ  (the  older  branch),  667,065,  or  104 
per  cent.;  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  641,173, 
or  53  per  cent.;  the  Presbyterian  (Northern),  540,490,  or 
69  per  cent.;  the  Colored  Baptist,  441,176,  or  33  per  cent.; 
the  Northern  Baptist,  410,263,  or  51  per  cent.;  the  Lutheran 
Synodical  Conference,  409,128,  or  115  per  cent.;  the  Protes- 
tant Episcopal,  396,726,  or  75  per  cent.;  and  the  Congrega- 
tional, 222,629,  or  43  Per  cent. 

By  denominational  families  or  groups  the  chief  gains  were: 

Catholic,  chiefly  Roman 6,199,588 

Methodist 2,025,768 

Baptist 1,885,168 

Lutheran 1,012,414 

Disciples  of  Christ 823,723 

Presbyterian 642,433 

3.  GROWTH  OF  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. — The 
miracle  of  growth  is,  of  course,  the  Roman  Catholic.    It 
has  been  three  times  as  great  as  that  of  the  Methodist 
group  and  six  tunes  as  great  as  that  of  the  Lutheran  group. 
Its  natural  increase,  supposing  that  it  holds  most  of  those 
born  of  Catholic  parents,  would  be  very  large;  but  Europe 
and  French  Canada  have  poured  an  immense  stream  into 
its  pale  and  given  it  predominance  wherever  the  foreign 
element  is  considerable.     It  is,  indeed,  a  polyglott  Church, 
holding  more  nationalities  in  its  communion,  doubtless, 
than  any  other  Church;    all  assimilated  in  an  effective 
domination  by  a  hierarchy  largely  of  the  Irish  race.     Its 
cardinals,  archbishops,  bishops   bear,  at   least  the  great 
majority  of  them  do,  unmistakable  Celtic  names.    It  is  one 


Ixxii         CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

of  the  most  remarkable  facts  of  history  that  Ireland,  so 
long  deprived  of  home  rule  in  the  British  Union,  has  made 
so  great  an  impress  upon  not  only  the  political  history  of 
the  United  States,  but  also  upon  its  religious  life,  through 
both  the  Catholic  and  Protestant  Churches. 

4.     RELIGIOUS  POPULATION  IN  1910. — Dividing  the  de- 
nominations into  groups,  we  have: 

Communi- 
cants. 

1.  Evangelical  Protestant 21,471,747 

2.  Roman  Catholic  and  Eastern  Orthodox 12,826,420 

3.  Unorthodox  Protestant 795,414 

4.  Jewish 143,000 

5.  Miscellaneous,  Buddhist,  Theosophist,  etc 8,715 


Total 35,245,296 

It  is  quite  probable  that  the  ratio  of  2)4  adherents  to  each 
communicant,  applied  to  the  Protestant  group  in  1890, 
would  be  too  large  in  1910.  The  proportion  of  children 
who  are  church-members  is  unquestionably  larger  than  it 
was  twenty  years  ago.  All  Churches  receive  children  into 
that  relation  much  earlier  in  life  than  formerly  and  there 
are  other  factors  tending  to  reduce  the  ratio  of  adherents 
to  communicants,  particularly  the  relaxation  of  discipline 
and  the  retention  of  some  who  formerly  would  have  been 
dropped,  expelled,  or  excommunicated.  At  any  rate  we  can- 
not apply  the  ratio  3^.  It  would  use  up  so  much  of  the 
population  that,  with  the  other  groups  added,  we  should 
have  more  religious  than  actual  population.  Reducing  the 
ratio  to  three  for  the  Evangelical  Protestant  group ;  taking 
the  Roman  Catholic  population  as  reported  and  estimating 
that  of  the  Eastern  Orthodox  Churches  on  the  same  basis; 
putting  down  from  denominational  sources  the  Jewish 
population  at  1,900,000;  and  giving  liberal  estimates  for 


THE  RETURNS  FOR  1900  AND  1910.  Ixxiii 

the  populations  of  the  remaining  groups,  we  have  the  fol- 
lowing result: 

1.  Protestant  population 64,415,241 

2.  Roman  Catholic  and  Eastern  Orthodox  population. .  15,089,906 

3.  Jewish  population 1,900,000 

4.  Unorthodox  Protestant  population 1,000,000 

5.  Miscellaneous  population 12,000 

Total  religious  population  in  United  States 82,417,147 

The  population  of  the  United  States  in  1910  was  91,972,- 
266.  The  religious  population  in  the  same  year  was  82,- 
417,147,  leaving  9,555,119  persons  presumed  to  be  without 
any  religious  preference.  Among  this  number  are  included 
the  pagan  Indians.  Twenty  years  ago  the  total  religious 
population  was  estimated  at  59,992,000,  and  those  without 
denominational  preference  at  5,630,000.  It  would  appear 
that  in  the  twenty  years  there  has  been  a  gain  of  22,425,147 
in  the  religious  population,  or  37  per  cent.,  and  of  3,925,119 
in  the  non-religious  population,  or  nearly  70  per  cent.  These 
figures,  however,  must  be  taken  as  approximate  only. 
They  are  estimates  which  have  no  very  sure  basis  and  are 
given  simply  for  what  they  are  worth. 

5.  CHANGES  OF  TWENTY  YEARS. — It  will  be  seen  that 
the  list  of  denominations  in  1910  is  not  shorter,  but  rather 
longer,  than  it  was  in  1890.  The  process  of  creating  new 
denominations  by  division  of  existing  ones  has  gone  on  with 
little  or  no  interruption.  The  Salvation  Army  now  exists 
as  two  bodies,  the  American  Salvation  Army  being  the 
newer  branch;  the  Disciples  of  Christ  has  suffered  a  divi- 
sion and  there  is  an  organization  known  as  Churches  of 
Christ;  the  colored  Primitive  Baptists  are  now  reported 
separately  from  the  white  Primitive  Baptists;  there  is  a 
second  New  Jerusalem  Church  and  a  second  Catholic 
Apostolic  Church;  the  Theosophists  are  divided,  and  the 


Ixxiv        CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

United  Evangelical  Church  and  the  Polish  National  Church 
represent  separations,  the  former  from  the  Evangelical 
Association,  the  latter  from  the  Roman  Catholic  Church. 
The  Scandinavian  Evangelical  bodies,  three  in  number,  take 
the  place  of  one  Swedish  Evangelical  body,  which  was  in 
existence  in  1890,  but  was  not  included  in  the  census.  Im- 
migration has  brought  to  the  United  States  several  Eastern 
Orthodox  Churches  not  represented  here  in  1890 — the 
Servian,  the  Syrian,  the  Roumanian,  and  the  Bulgarian; 
also  the  Union  of  Bohemian  and  Moravian  Brethren,  the 
Hungarian  Reformed  Church,  and  the  Japanese  Buddhists. 
On  the  other  hand,  a  number  of  denominations,  all  quite 
small,  have  disappeared,  including  six  communistic  socie- 
ties, the  Old  Catholic  Church,  and  other  insignificant 
bodies.  Union  has  practically  done  nothing  to  reduce  the 
total  of  denominations.  In  1906  a  union  was  in  part  con- 
summated of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  with  the  North- 
ern Presbyterian  Church,  but  the  Cumberland  organiza- 
tion is  still  maintained  and  it  claims  a  majority  of  mem- 
bers reported  in  1906.  A  union  for  co-operation  in  general 
denominational  work,  missionary,  educational,  etc.,  has 
been  arranged  between  the  Northern  and  Free  Baptists, 
and  it  may  lead  to  a  consolidation  of  churches  and  associa- 
tions. Denominations  represented  in  1890  as  consisting  of 
two  branches,  the  Jews  and  the  Christians,  are  now  classed 
as  one,  with  no  better  reason  for  doing  so,  however,  than 
obtained  twenty  years  ago. 

The  total  of  denominations  may  be  set  down  at  170  in 
1910,  counting  the  Faith  Associations  separately,  which  is 
perhaps  questionable,  and  consolidating  certain  evangelistic 
churches  with  independent  congregations.  This  aggregate 
indicates  an  increase  of  27  in  the  twenty  years,  the  number 
returned  in  1890  being  143.  What  is  said  of  the  religious 
bodies  of  1890  can  be  said  just  as  truly  of  those  of  1910; 


THE  RETURNS  FOR  1900  AND  1910.  kxv 

many  of  them  are  small  and  unimportant.  A  full  half  of 
the  170  bodies  report  less  than  10,000  communicants  each, 
and  70  have  less  than  5,000  each.  To  put  the  matter  in 
another  way,  the  great  mass  of  communicants  are  found 
in  the  first  37  denominations  in  Table  III,  embracing  all 
denominations  having  100,000  and  upward.  These  37 
bodies  contain  more  than  95  per  cent,  of  all  communicants, 
or  33,580,000,  leaving  only  1,665,000  for  all  the  remaining 
133  bodies.  From  all  which  it  appears  that  the  division 
of  religious  bodies  is  more  a  matter  of  name  than  of  fact. 
6.  ORDER  ACCORDING  TO  DENOMINATIONAL  FAMILIES 
OR  GROUPS. — In  the  order  of  number  of  communicants  the 
several  denominational  groups  stand  as  follows  in  1910: 

1.  Roman  Catholic  (3  bodies) 12,443,520 

2.  Methodist  (16  bodies) 6,615,052 

3.  Baptist  (15  bodies) 5,603,137 

4.  Lutheran  (23  bodies) 2,243,486 

5.  Presbyterian  (12  bodies) 1,920,765 

6.  Disciples  of  Christ  (2  bodies) 1,464,774 

7.  Episcopalian  (2  bodies) 938,390 

8.  Reformed  (4  bodies) 448,190 

9.  Latter-Day  Saints  (2  bodies) 400,650 

10.  Eastern  Orthodox  (7  bodies) 385,000 

11.  United  Brethren  (2  bodies) 303,319 

12.  Evangelical  (2  bodies) 182,065 

13.  Friends  (4  bodies) 123,718 

14.  Brethren  (Dunkards)  (4  bodies) 122,847 

15.  Adventist  (6  bodies) 95,646 

16.  Scandinavian  Evangelical  (3  bodies) 62,000 

17.  Mennonite  (n  bodies) 54,79s 

18.  Salvationist  (2  bodies) 26,275 

The  Catholics,  Methodists,  and  Baptists  maintain  the 
order  of  1890.  The  chief  changes  in  the  twenty  years  have 
been  as  follows:  the  Lutherans  take  fourth  place  from  the 
Presbyterians,  and  the  latter  fall  back  to  fifth  place;  the 
Disciples  (one  body  in  1890)  take  sixth  place  and  the 


Ixxvi        CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

Episcopalians  fall  back  to  seventh  place;  the  Eastern  Ortho- 
dox Churches  come  into  view  the  first  time  and  take  tenth 
place,  the  United  Brethren  going  down  from  the  eighth  to 
the  eleventh  place.  The  other  changes  are  not  significant. 
7.  INCREASE  IN  NEGRO  COMMUNICANTS. — The  negro 
population  of  the  United  States  increased  from  7,488,676 
in  1890  to  9,828,294  in  1910.  This  indicates  a  net  gain  in 
the  twenty  years  of  2,335,618,  or  31  per  cent.  The  table 
given  among  the  summaries  for  1900  and  1910  shows  that 
the  gain  in  the  same  period  in  negro  communicants  was 
1,061,152.  This  is  more  than  40  per  cent.  It  appears, 
therefore,  that  the  Negro  is  gaining  in  church  member- 
ship faster  than  he  is  gaining  in  population.  He  must 
also  be  growing  in  financial  ability,  for  the  increase  in 
negro  churches  has  been  about  60  per  cent. 


PART  IV— DOMINANT  RELIGIOUS  ELEMENTS. 

i.  CHARACTERISTICS  OF  CHRISTIANITY  IN  THE  UNITED 
STATES. — The  Christianity  which  prevails  in  the  United 
States  is  Orthodox  and  Evangelical,  using  Orthodox  as  de- 
scriptive of  the  Churches,  Roman  Catholic  and  Oriental, 
which  adhere  to  the  Ecumenical  Creeds,  and  Evangelical 
as  applicable  to  such  bodies  as  Baptists,  Congregational- 
ists,  Methodists,  Lutherans,  Presbyterians,  Reformed,  and 
Episcopalians.  Together  these  Orthodox  and  Evangelical 
bodies  constitute  the  great  bulk  of  the  Christian  forces  which 
possess  the  country  and  determine  and  dominate  its  relig- 
ious life. 

Foremost  numerically  as  a  denomination  is  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church.  Though  it  was  the  first  to  set  up  the 
Christian  altar  on  this  soil,  and  its  missionaries  were  pio- 
neers in  exploration  and  settlement  in  the  great  West  and 
far  South,  it  was  not  a  strong  Church  at  the  close  of  the 
colonial  period.  There  were  in  1 784  hardly  30,000  Catholics, 
most  of  whom  were  in  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania,  the 
rest  being  widely  scattered.  Immigration  from  Ireland 
gave  the  Church  its  first  considerable  impulse  of  growth, 
and  immigration — Irish,  German,  French,  Italian,  Polish, 
etc. — has  made  it  the  largest  and  most  composite  Church  in 
the  United  States.  The  wonder  is  that  the  Church  could 
receive  and  care  for  such  masses  of  diverse  nationalities.  Its 
energies  have  been  severely  taxed,  but  it  has  managed  to 
organize  and  equip  its  parishes  as  rapidly  as  necessity  re- 
quired, and  in  recent  years  to  give  more  attention  to  its 

Ixxvii 


Ixxviii      CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

educational  facilities,  which  had  been  neither  excellent  nor 
adequate.  A  church  composed  so  largely  of  European 
elements,  with  an  episcopate  foreign  in  nativity  or  extrac- 
tion, education,  and  ideas,  under  the  immediate  control  of 
a  foreign  pope  and  his  councilors,  would  hardly  be  ex- 
pected to  fall  in  at  once  with  American  ideas,  particularly 
with  that  idea  which  distinguishes  our  system  of  popular 
education  from  that  of  all  other  countries.  The  Catholic 
hierarchy  has  been  openly  hostile  to  our  public  schools,  de- 
nouncing them  as  either  sectarian  or  godless,  protesting 
against  the  injustice  of  being  taxed  for  the  support  of  insti- 
tutions they  could  not  patronize,  and  insisting  that  they  be 
relieved  of  school  rates  or  that  the  school  moneys  be  divided 
and  a  fair  share  given  to  Catholic  schools.  The  determined 
popular  resistance  to  this  demand  increased  Catholic  hos- 
tility and  made  the  struggle  a  somewhat  bitter  one.  It  is 
not  strange  that  many  Protestants  should  regard  a  foreign 
church,  with  foreign  ideas  and  under  foreign  domination,  as 
a  menace  to  American  institutions;  but  no  candid  observer 
will  hesitate  to  admit  that,  whatever  may  be  said  concern- 
ing the  attitude  of  the  priesthood,  the  Catholics  as  a  body 
are  as  American  as  the  Lutherans.  No  impartial  and  in- 
telligent person  now  believes  that  they  want  to  subvert  our 
liberties  or  destroy  our  government.  We  may  justly  accuse 
them  of  meddling  too  much  at  times  in  party  politics;  we 
may  deprecate  the  favor  they  sometimes  receive  in  munici- 
pal councils;  but  in  all  those  fundamentals  which  make  our 
government  thoroughly  and  securely  Republican,  Catholics 
are  at  one  with  Protestants.  Their  sentiment  toward  the 
public  schools  is  still  antagonistic,  and  it  would  be  too  much 
to  say  that  they  are  becoming  reconciled  to  it.  Their  op- 
position, however,  though  perhaps  not  less  firm,  is  less  de- 
monstrative. Apparently  they  are  convinced  that  their 
demands  concerning  the  public  schools  and  public-school 


DOMINANT  RELIGIOUS  ELEMENTS.  Ixxix 

moneys  cannot  be  obtained,  and  they  are  developing  their 
system  of  parochial  schools  at  heavy  cost,  thus  seeking  to 
provide,  at  much  sacrifice,  schools  for  their  own  children, 
particularly  of  primary  and  grammar  grade,  in  which  the 
tenets  of  their  faith  are  freely  and  fully  taught.  Their  atti- 
tude toward  the  public-school  problem  is  represented  by  the 
American  Federation  of  Catholic  Societies  in  the  following 
propositions: 

"i.  Let  our  schools  remain  as  they  are.  2.  Let  no  com- 
pensation be  made  for  religious  instruction.  3.  Let  our 
children  be  examined  by  a  State  or  municipal  board,"  and, 
if  the  work  done  is  satisfactory,  let  payment  for  the  sup- 
port of  Catholic  schools  be  made  from  the  public  funds. 
There  were,  in  1910,  4,972  parochial  schools  with  an 
attendance  of  1,270,131. 

The  Catholic  Church  in  the  United  States,  while  thor- 
oughly loyal  to  the  central  government  at  Rome  and  obedi- 
ent to  the  decrees  of  the  pope,  is  nevertheless  an  American 
institution.  When,  some  years  ago,  the  centenary  of  the 
first  Catholic  bishop  in  the  United  States  was  observed,  the 
preacher,  an  archbishop,  declared  with  emphasis  that  the 
Catholic  Church  in  the  United  States  must  be  definitely 
and  thoroughly  American.  The  ecclesiastical  garment  must 
not  be  of  a  foreign  cut  or  have  a  foreign  lining  even.  Per- 
haps the  distinguished  prelate  would  not  so  express  himself 
to-day,  for  conservative  rather  than  progressive  churchmen 
seem  to  get  recognition  when  cardinals'  hats  are  bestowed; 
but  nevertheless  the  American  school  of  thought  exists  and 
makes  its  influence  felt. 

It  is  a  curious  fact  that  while  Catholicism  is  numerically 
the  leading  denomination  in  considerably  more  than  half 
of  the  States,  actually  outnumbering  in  old  New  England 
the  Protestant  communicants  combined,  it  is  in  no  State 
in  the  ascendant  in  influence.  New  England  is  still  Protes- 


kxx          CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

tant  in  its  characteristics,  and  there  are  as  yet  no  signs  of  a 
revolution  in  its  distinctive  institutions.  The  reason  is  not 
far  to  seek.  The  Roman  Catholic  force  is  in  its  masses; 
the  Protestant  power  lies  in  generations  of  occupancy  and 
training.  Protestantism  furnishes  the  ideas  which  have 
made  New  England  what  it  is  and  which  maintain  it  essen- 
tially unchanged.  The  Protestant  leaven  is  more  powerful 
and  persistent  than  the  Catholic  leaven. 

2.  EVANGELICAL  CHRISTIANITY  DOMINANT. — Evangeli- 
cal Christianity  is  the  dominant  religious  force  of  the  United 
States.  In  its  various  denominational  forms  it  shapes  the 
religious  character  of  the  American  people.  That  it  has 
been  influenced  in  no  degree  by  the  non-evangelical  or 
rationalistic  churches,  I  would  not  venture  to  say.  Doubt- 
less its  humanitarian  impulses  have  been  quickened  and 
strengthened  by  the  example  of  Unitarianism ;  but  I  should 
be  at  a  loss  to  name  the  particular  influence  which  the  Church 
of  Rome  has  exerted  upon  it.  There  has  been  an  increase 
of  what  some  call  churchliness,  and  confessionalism  has 
developed  to  a  remarkable  degree  among  the  Lutherans; 
but  these  are  limited  movements,  and  do  not  give  character 
to  the  Christianity  of  the  day.  The  Catholic  revival  in  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church  is  spending  itself  within  the 
denomination,  and  High  and  Broad  Church  parties  are  now 
in  control. 

The  great  and  absorbing  purpose  of  Evangelical  Chris- 
tianity seems  to  me  to  be  the  spread  of  the  gospel.  There 
are  those  living  who  can  remember  when  a  far  less  exalted 
idea  possessed  the  Church,  when  it  seemed  to  think  its 
sphere  was  not  in  the  world,  and  its  main  duty  not  to  the 
world,  but  to  those  within  its  own  pale.  Now  it  knows  that 
it  is  in  the  world  to  save  the  world;  that  while  God  loves 
the  saint,  he  also  loves  the  sinner;  that  while  he  has  "more 
graces  for  the  good,"  he  has  messages  of  love  for  the  bad. 


DOMINANT  RELIGIOUS  ELEMENTS.  kxxi 

It  considers  itself  as  commissioned  to  carry  these  messages 
to  every  heathen  land,  to  every  destitute  community,  to 
every  godless  home,  and  to  every  unconverted  person. 
Evangelical  Churches  are  like  bustling  camps  of  spiritual 
soldiers  who  are  being  told  off  to  go  to  this  country  and 
that,  to  this  destitute  section  and  that,  with  the  gospel  of 
peace,  to  conquer  the  whole  world  for  Christ.  So  thoroughly 
has  this  missionary  spirit  possessed  the  body  of  evangelical 
Christians,  that  the  smallest  and  most  obscure  divisions  feel 
constrained  not  only  to  evangelize  home  communities,  but 
to  have  their  representatives  abroad. 

3.  EVANGELICAL  CHRISTIANITY  SYSTEMATICALLY  OR- 
GANIZED.— This  dominant  purpose  has  made  agencies  and 
organizations  and  financial  methods  necessary.  The  busi- 
ness of  saving  the  world  requires  organization  complete  and 
extensive;  it  requires  administrators,  agents,  means,  ma- 
chinery, enterprise.  All  these  the  Church  has  provided,  and 
a  great  system  has  been  worked  out,  rivaling  in  its  universal 
operations  and  the  volume  of  its  transactions  that  of  any 
commercial  project  of  which  we  have  knowledge.  Any 
kingdom,  country,  province,  island,  settlement,  with  hardly 
an  exception,  can  be  reached  directly  and  quickly  through 
the  numerous  channels  of  communication  established  by 
gospel  enterprise.  If  a  devoted  man  or  woman  wants  to 
enter  a  field  of  work  abroad,  the  widest  range  of  choice  is 
presented.  Any  country  between  Greenland  and  New 
Zealand,  in  the  western  or  eastern  circuit  of  the  globe, 
may  be  selected,  and  there  is  a  gospel  society  to  commis- 
sion him  and  send  and  support  him.  If  any  one  has  a  sum 
of  money  to  be  applied  to  the  proclamation  of  the  gospel, 
he  may  have  it  expended  in  any  presidency  in  India,  in 
any  division  in  Japan,  in  any  kingdom  in  Africa,  or  in  any 
island  of  the  sea.  The  machinery  exists  to  place  it  wher- 
ever he  wants  it  to  go. 


Ixxxii       CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

We  have  the  same  appliances  for  work  at  home.  Here 
are  Indians,  Chinese,  and  negroes;  ignorant  and  vicious 
populations;  groups  of  foreigners;  the  frontiers  of  civiliza- 
tion and  the  centres  of  cities;  the  prairies  and  the  slums; 
the  jails,  asylums,  and  workhouses.  Here  is  book  and 
Bible  work,  evangelistic  work,  reformatory  work,  educa- 
tional work,  missionary  work,  and  many  other  forms  of  gos- 
pel benevolence,  with  abundance  of  machinery  for  all  the 
exigencies  of  service.  Places  are  ready  for  the  men  and 
women,  and  societies  exist  to  commission  and  direct  them, 
and  to  collect  and  administer  the  necessary  funds. 

Organization  is,  indeed,  one  of  the  characteristics  of  the 
Church  of  to-day.  The  idea  of  organization  was  in  the 
first  church  ever  formed.  Where  two  or  more  believers 
are,  there  is  a  call  for  fellowship,  for  association,  and  for 
co-operation.  The  Church  of  the  present  is  but  working  out 
more  fully  the  central  idea  of  Christian  fellowship.  This 
fellowship  is  now  understood  to  be  for  mutual  helpfulness 
and  for  service.  We  are  saved  to  serve,  and  we  can  serve 
best  if  we  serve  according  to  some  system.  Hence  we 
organize.  Every  church  has  come  to  have  its  committees 
for  regular  and  special  work.  The  women  are  organized 
for  those  parish  duties  which  they  can  best  perform;  for 
missionary  work  for  which  they  have  special  aptitude. 
They  are  given  a  much  larger  share  of  the  Lord's  business 
than  our  forefathers  dreamed  of  allotting  to  them.  We 
have  organized  our  young  people.  This  is  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  movements  of  the  century  in  religious  work. 
This  mighty  development  has  come  almost  within  a  genera- 
tion. The  young  people  of  both  sexes  have  been  banded 
together  into  Endeavor  Societies,  Ep worth  Leagues,  Unions, 
and  the  like,  and  their  members  are  numbered  by  the  million. 
By  organization  for  prayer,  praise,  and  Christian  work,  and 
particularly  training  in  public  service,  a  great  body  of  young 


DOMINANT  RELIGIOUS  ELEMENTS.  Ixxxiii 

believers  have  been  made  a  positive,  aggressive  force  in  all 
our  Churches.  Who  can  measure  the  influence  which 
these  young  people  thus  organized  will  exert  in  the  immedi- 
ate future?  Not  many  years  ago  the  cry  was  raised :  "We 
are  losing  our  hold  on  the  young  people.  They  are  not 
coming  into  the  Church.  They  are  growing  up  indifferent 
to  religion."  To-day  we  have  no  more  devoted  and  en- 
thusiastic and  helpful  workers  in  the  Church  than  the  young 
people. 

4.  EVANGELICAL  CHRISTIANITY  EVANGELISTIC. — The 
evangelical  Christianity  of  to-day  is  not  polemic.  It  is 
intensely  practical.  It  emphasizes  more  than  it  used  to  the 
importance  of  Christian  character  and  of  Christian  work. 
It  is  less  theological  in  its  preaching,  making  more,  indeed, 
of  biblical  exposition,  but  less  of  doctrinal  forms  and  defi- 
nitions. And  yet  it  would  be  wrong  to  say  that  it  makes 
little  or  no  account  of  belief.  All  that  it  says,  all  that  it 
does,  is  based  upon  profound  and  unshaken  belief.  It  is 
the  gospel  it  declares  and  is  trying  to  work  out  in  a  practical 
way.  The  Church  of  to-day  is  a  gospel  Church.  It  has 
the  fullest  confidence  in  the  power  of  the  gospel,  and  believes 
it  was  given  for  all  men,  is  adapted  to  all  conditions,  and  is 
to  become  supreme  in  the  world.  Christ,  the  centre  of  this 
gospel,  is  the  divine  Lord  and  Master  of  the  Church.  Belief 
in  Him  as  a  human  manifestation  of  the  divine  love  and  a 
divine  manifestation  of  a  perfect  humanity  was  never  more 
clear  and  strong.  It  is  upon  Him,  as  the  corner-stone,  His 
atonement,  and  His  teachings  that  the  evangelical  Church 
builds  its  system  of  religion;  and  while  this  is  the  age  of  the 
higher  biblical  criticism,  the  most  critical  and  careful  study 
of  the  Bible  has  confirmed  no  conclusions  which  shake  belief 
in  its  character  as  the  Word  of  God,  or  in  its  authority,  or 
in  its  moral  and  spiritual  teachings.  It  would  be  mislead- 
ing, however,  to  contend  that  no  change  has  taken  place 


Ixxxiv      CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

in  the  attitude  of  the  evangelical  Churches  generally  toward 
the  Bible  and  toward  doctrinal  preaching.  The  Bible  is 
still  held  in  reverence;  but  the  generation  of  to-day  is 
much  freer  in  its  criticism  and  interpretation  of  it  than 
the  generation  which  is  passing  off  the  stage.  The  human 
side  of  the  Book  is  recognized,  and  this  recognition  natu- 
rally means  that  the  divine  side  is  not  held  in  such  a  way 
as  to  preclude  error.  The  revival  method  has  also  been 
largely  abandoned;  that  is,  the  method  of  Finney  and 
Moody  and  Hammond.  More  emphasis  appears  to  be 
placed  in  what  has  been  called  cultural  or  educational  evan- 
gelism, and  upon  the  Sunday-school  as  an  efficient  recruit- 
ing agency  for  the  Church.  Thorough  indoctrination  of 
the  child  in  the  principles  of  the  faith  is  a  cardinal  doctrine 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  Evangelical  Churches 
seem  to  be  appropriating  it  or  adapting  it  to  Protestant 
children.  It  may  be  truthfully  said  that  revival  sermons, 
such  as  were  formerly  preached  in  revival  campaigns  and 
at  camp-meetings,  are  becoming  somewhat  rare  in  this  day. 
The  sharp  lines  that  used  to  be  drawn  between  the  Church 
and  the  world,  between  the  saint  and  the  sinner,  between 
the  state  of  grace  and  the  lost  condition,  between  the  joys 
of  heaven  and  the  woes  of  hell,  are  blurred  and  indistinct 
in  most  modern  preaching,  and  the  Church  in  general 
seems  to  have  less  interest  in  the  prodigals  or  less  zeal  in 
reaching  them,  and  to  give  more  attention  to  the  preven- 
tion of  prodigals. 

5.  CO-OPERATION,  FEDERATION,  AND  UNION. — No  de- 
velopment of  the  past  quarter  of  a  century  has  been  more 
noteworthy  than  the  tendency  to  co-operation  and  union 
among  the  evangelical  Churches.  This  spirit  of  oneness 
has  had  its  most  remarkable  manifestation  in  the  conduct 
of  foreign  missions.  All  the  societies  in  the  United  States 
and  Canada  conducting  missions  in  foreign  lands  have 


DOMINANT  RELIGIOUS  ELEMENTS.  Ixxxv 

united  in  a  conference,  held  annually  in  January,  in  which 
questions  of  common  interest  are  discussed,  and  under  the 
authority  of  which  an  ad  interim  Committee  of  Reference 
and  Counsel  acts  for  the  societies  in  appeals  to  governments 
and  in  other  matters  affecting  the  affairs  of  all.  Out  of  this 
have  grown  co-operative  agencies  at  home,  such  as  the  Mis- 
sionary Education  Movement,  which  aims  specially  at  the 
creation  of  missionary  literature  for  mission  study  classes 
and  the  Student  Volunteer  Movement,  which  seeks  to  en- 
list an  army  of  trained  young  men  and  women  for  service  as 
missionaries.  In  the  mission  field  Itself,  co-operation  and 
union  have  been  going  forward  in  a  way  simply  astonishing. 
The  mission  churches  of  various  societies  are  uniting  to 
form  large  and  comprehensive  native  Churches,  as,  for  ex- 
ample, the  Methodist  Mission  Churches  of  Japan,  which 
have  organized  a  Methodist  Church  of  Japan;  the  Pres- 
byterian Mission  Churches  of  China,  which  have  formed 
with  other  Presbyterian  and  Reformed  Churches  a  united 
native  Church.  The  same  thing  has  taken  place  in  India. 
Moreover,  union  in  educational,  publication,  and  hospital 
work  is  the  order  of  the  day,  and  comity  is  everywhere 
recognized  and  intrusion  into  fields  already  occupied  is 
discouraged. 

Not  much  in  the  way  of  organic  union  has  been  accom- 
plished in  the  United  States.  Negotiations  between  bodies 
of  similar  belief  and  practice  are  in  progress;  but  no  im- 
mediate results  are  probable.  The  Free  Baptists  have  re- 
solved to  use  the  missionary  and  other  general  agencies 
of  the  Northern  Baptists,  and  this  measure  of  consolidation 
may  be  followed  in  time  by  a  merging  of  the  two  denomina- 
tions. The  most  influential  movement  among  the  evan- 
gelical Churches  is  doubtless  that  known  as  the  Federal 
Council  of  Churches  of  Christ.  In  this  body  thirty-two  of 
the  leading  evangelical  Churches  are  federated  for  the  pur- 


Ixxxvi      CHARACTERISTICS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

pose  of  fellowship  and  action.  It  is  founded  on  the  basis  of 
unity  in  Christ,  and  in  purpose  and  aim  it  seeks  to  estab- 
lish comity  and  co-operation  and  prevent  rivalry  and  waste 
in  effort  and  means. 

There  are  also  such  general  bodies  as  the  Alliance  of  Re- 
formed Churches,  the  Ecumenical  Methodist  Conference, 
the  World  Baptist  Congress,  which  seek  to  draw  into  closer 
relations  bodies  belonging  to  the  same  denominational 
group  or  family.  Religious  controversy  over  questions  of 
doctrine  and  practice  is  a  thing  of  the  past.  The  denomi- 
nations are  not  now  divided  into  separate  camps  of  a  more 
or  less  hostile  character,  but  are  coming  into  closer  sympa- 
thy and  fellowship,  making  less  and  less  of  denominational 
differences  and  more  and  more  of  the  points  of  agreement. 

6.  How  THE  CHURCH  AFFECTS  SOCIETY. — It  is  to  be 
remembered  that  all  the  houses  of  worship  have  been  built 
by  voluntary  contributions.  They  have  been  provided 
by  private  gifts,  but  are  offered  to  the  public  for  free  use. 
The  government  has  not  given  a  dollar  to  provide  them, 
nor  does  it  appropriate  a  dollar  for  their  support.  And  yet 
the  church  is  the  mightiest,  most  pervasive,  most  persistent, 
and  most  beneficent  force  in  our  civilization.  It  affects, 
directly  or  indirectly,  all  human  activities  and  interests. 

It  is  a  large  property-holder,  and  influences  the  market 
for  real  estate. 

It  is  a  corporation,  and  administers  large  trusts. 

It  is  a  public  institution,  and  is  therefore  the  subject  of 
protective  legislation. 

It  is  a  capitalist,  and  gathers  and  distributes  large  wealth. 

It  is  an  employer,  and  furnishes  means  of  support  to 
ministers,  organists,  singers,  janitors,  and  others. 

It  is  a  relief  organization,  feeding  the  hungry,  clothing 
the  naked,  and  assisting  the  destitute. 

It  is  a  university,  training  children  and  instructing  old 


DOMINANT  RELIGIOUS  ELEMENTS.  Ixxxvii 

and  young,  by  public  lectures  on  religion,  morals,  industry, 
thrift,  and  the  duties  of  citizenship. 

It  is  a  reformatory  influence,  recovering  the  vicious,  im- 
moral, and  dangerous  elements  of  society  and  making  them 
exemplary  citizens. 

It  is  a  philanthropic  association,  sending  missionaries  to 
the  remotest  countries  to  Christianize  savage  and  degraded 
races. 

It  is  organized  beneficence,  founding  hospitals  for  the 
sick,  asylums  for  orphans,  refuges  for  the  homeless,  and 
schools,  colleges,  and  universities  for  the  ignorant. 

It  prepares  the  way  for  commerce,  and  creates  and 
stimulates  industries.  Architects,  carpenters,  painters,  and 
other  artisans  are  called  to  build  its  houses  of  worship; 
mines,  quarries,  and  forests  are  worked  to  provide  the  ma- 
terials, and  railroads  and  ships  are  employed  in  transporting 
them.  It  requires  tapestries  and  furnishings,  and  the  looms 
that  weave  them  are  busy  day  and  night.  It  buys  millions 
of  Bibles,  prayer-books,  hymn-books,  and  papers,  and  the 
presses  which  supply  them  never  stop. 

Who  that  considers  these  moral  and  material  aspects  of 
the  Church  can  deny  that  it  is  beneficent  in  its  aims,  un- 
selfish in  its  plans,  and  impartial  in  the  distribution  of  its 
blessings?  It  is  devoted  to  the  temporal  and  eternal 
interests  of  mankind. 

Every  corner-stone  it  lays,  it  lays  for  humanity;  every 
temple  it  opens,  it  opens  to  the  world;  every  altar  it  estab- 
lishes, it  establishes  for  the  salvation  of  souls.  Its  spires  are 
fingers  pointing  heavenward;  its  ministers  are  messengers 
of  good  tidings,  ambassadors  of  hope,  and  angels  of  mercy. 

What  is  there  among  men  to  compare  with  the  Church 
in  its  power  to  educate,  elevate,  and  civilize  mankind? 


EXPLANATIONS   OF  THE   TERMS   USED. 


1.  By  "organizations  "  is  meant  church  societies,  or  congregations.     The 
returns  under  this  head  include  chapels,  missions,  stations,  etc.,  when  they 
are  separate  from  churches  and  have  separate  services. 

2.  Under  the  title  "  church  edifices  "  are  given  all  buildings  erected  for 
divine  worship.     Chapels  under  separate  roofs  are  counted  as  distinct  build- 
ings.    The  fractions  which  appear  in  this  column  indicate  joint  ownership. 
A  large  number  of  church  edifices  are  owned  and  occupied  by  two  or  more 
denominations,  and  the  proportion  which  each  owns  is  expressed  by  the  frac- 
tions %,  yz,  %,  etc.     The  tables  do  not  show  how  many  churches  are  thus 
owned.     Many  fractions  have  disappeared  in  the  process  of  addition.     If 
there  were,  for  example,  twenty  churches  in  a  State  or  conference  or  diocese 
or  presbytery,  in  which  a  particular  denomination  had  a  fractional  interest  of 
Yt  each  in  eighteen,  l/3  in  another,  and  %  in  another,  the  eighteen  halves 
would  be  converted  into  nine  integers  in  the  footing,  and  the  sum  of  %  and 
%,  or  i2?,  would  be  the  only  fraction  that  would  appear. 

3.  "  Seating  capacity  "  indicates  the  number  of  persons  a  church  edifice  is 
arranged  to  seat.     The  accommodations  of  halls  and  schoolhouses  are  given 
separately,  and  those  of  private  houses  are  not  counted  at  all. 

4.  "  Value  of  church  property  "  covers  only  the  estimated  value  of  church 
edifices  with  their  chapels,  the  ground  on  which  they  stand,  and  their  furnish- 
ings.    It  does  not  embrace  parsonages,  cemeteries,  or  colleges,  or  convents, 
only  the  chapels  belonging  thereto.     No  deductions  are  made  for  church 
debts. 

5.  "  Communicants  "  embraces  all  who  have  the  privilege  of  partaking  of 
the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  of  members  in  denominations  like 
the  Friends,  Unitarians,  etc.     The  Jewish  return*  are  mostly  for  heads  of 
families  who  are  pewholders.     Those  for  Unitarians  are  larger,  in  proportion, 
than  those  for  the  Universalists,  because  the  terms  of  Unitarian  membership 
are  less  restrictive. 

6.  The  statistics  given  in  this  volume  are  for  the  United  States  only.     No 
returns  are  included  for  missions  or  churches  in  other  lands. 

Ixxxviii 


RELIGIOUS    FORCES    OF    THE 
UNITED    STATES. 


CHAPTER  I. 
THE   ADVENTISTS. 

THE  movement  out  of  which  the  various  Adventist 
bodies  have  come  began  about  the  year  1831  with  a  series 
of  lectures  on  the  personal  coming  of  Christ,  delivered  by 
William  Miller.  Mr.  Miller,  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  was 
converted  and  joined  the  Baptist  Church  at  Low  Hamp- 
ton, N.  Y.,  in  1816.  He  had  been  a  Deist,  according  to 
his  own  statement.  A  diligent  study  of  the  Bible  inclined 
him  to  the  belief  in  1 8 1 8  that  the  millennium  was  to  begin 
not  before  but  after  the  end  of  the  world,  and  that  the 
second  advent  of  Christ  was  near  at  hand.  Further  ex- 
amination of  the  Scriptures  fully  convinced  him  of  the 
correctness  of  this  view,  and  in  August,  1831,  he  began  to 
lecture  on  the  subject.  His  study  of  the  Apocalypse  and 
the  Gospels  satisfied  him  that  the  "  only  millennium  "  to 
be  expected  "  is  the  thousand  years  which  are  to  intervene 
between  the  first  resurrection  and  that  of  the  rest  of  the 
dead  " ;  that  the  second  coming  of  Christ  is  to  be  a  per- 
sonal coming ;  that  the  millennium  "  must  necessarily  fol- 


2          RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

low  the  personal  coming  of  Christ  and  the  regeneration  of 
the  earth  "  ;  that  the  prophecies  show  that  "  only  four  uni- 
versal monarchies  are  to  precede  the  setting  up  of  God's 
everlasting  kingdom,"  of  which  three  had  passed  away — 
the  Babylonian,  the  Medo- Persian,  and  the  Grecian — and 
the  fourth,  that  of  Rome,  was  in  the  last  stage ;  that  the 
periods  spoken  of  in  the  Book  of  Daniel  of  "  2300  days," 
of  the  "  seven  times  of  Gentile  supremacy,"  and  of  "  1335 
days,"  were  prophetic  periods,  and,  applied  chronologic- 
ally, led  to  a  termination  in  1843,  when  Christ  would 
personally  descend  to  the  earth  and  reign  with  the  saints 
in  a  new  earth  a  thousand  years.  In  1833  he  published  a 
pamphlet  entitled  "  Evidences  from  Scripture  and  History 
of  the  Second  Coming  of  Christ,  about  the  Year  1843,  an^ 
of  His  Personal  Reign  of  One  Thousand  Years." 

He  made  many  converts  to  his  views,  both  among  min- 
isters and  laymen  of  the  Baptist,  Christian,  Methodist,  and 
other  denominations,  and  the  new  doctrine  was  widely 
proclaimed.  In  1840  a  general  gathering  of  friends  of  the 
cause  was  held  in  Boston,  and  an  address  issued  which 
stated  that  while  those  who  participated  in  the  conference 
were  not  in  accord  in  fixing  the  year  of  the  second  advent, 
they  were  unanimously  of  the  opinion  that  it  was  "  spe- 
cially nigh  at  hand."  A  number  of  papers,  one  of  which 
was  a  daily,  appeared,  bearing  such  titles  as  The  Midnight 
Cry,  The  Signs  of  the  Times,  The  Trumpet  of  Alarm,  etc., 
and  helped  greatly  to  spread  Mr.  Miller's  views.  When 
the  year  in  which  the  advent  was  fully  expected  had 
passed,  Mr.  Miller  wrote  a  letter  confessing  his  "error" 
and  acknowledging  his  "  disappointment,"  but  expressing 
his  belief  that  "  the  day  of  the  Lord  is  near,  even  at  the 
door."  He  also  attended  a  conference  of  Adventists 


THE  ADVENTISTS.  3 

held  in  Boston  late  in  May,  1844,  and  made  a  similar 
statement,  admitting  that  he  had  been  in  error  in  fixing  a 
definite  time.  Subsequently  he  became  convinced  that 
the  end  would  come  on  or  about  the  226.  of  October, 
1844,  and  said  if  Christ  did  not  then  appear  he  should 
"  feel  twice  the  disappointment "  that  he  had  already  felt. 
Some  of  those  who  had  joined  the  movement  left  it  after 
the  time  for  the  end  of  the  world  had  passed  without  a 
fulfillment  of  their  expectations;  but  many  still  believed 
that  the  great  event  was  near  at  hand,  and  urged  men  to 
live  in  a  constant  state  of  readiness  for  it. 

Various  views  were  developed  among  the  Adventists, 
after  the  second  date  had  passed  without  result,  respecting 
the  resurrection  of  the  body,  the  immortality  of  the  soul, 
and  the  state  of  the  dead,  and  these  differences  resulted  in 
course  of  time  in  different  organizations. 

At  a  general  conference  of  Adventists  held  in  Albany, 
N.  Y.,  April  29,  1845,  a  report  was  adopted  holding  to  the 
visible,  personal  coming  of  Christ  at  an  early  but  indefinite 
time,  to  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  both  the  just  and  the 
unjust,  and  to  the  beginning  of  the  millennium  after  the 
resurrection  of  the  saints,  denying  that  there  is  any  prom- 
ise of  the  world's  conversion,  or  that  the  saints  enter  upon 
their  inheritance,  or  receive  their  crowns,  at  death. 

Small  companies  of  Adventists  at  various  times  after  the 
failures  of  1843  and  1844  set  new  dates  for  the  second 
advent,'  and  there  were  gatherings  in  expectation  of  the 
great  event;  but  the  "time  brethren,"  as  they  are  often 
called,  have  at  no  time  since  1844  formed  a  large  propor- 
tion of  the  Adventists. 

Ministers  are  ordained  to  the  office  of  elder  by  the  lay- 
ing on  of  hands,  upon  the  recommendation  of  the  churches 


4          RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

of  which  they  are  members,  and  after  approval  by  a  com- 
mittee of  elders.  Baptism  is  administered  by  immersion. 
The  Adventists  are  Congregational  in  polity,  excepting 
the  Seventh-Day  branch,  which  has  a  government  of  a 
presbyterial  character.  Camp- meetings  form  prominent 
and  popular  annual  gatherings  among  the  Adventists.  On 
these  occasions  some  of  their  societies  hold  business  ses- 
sions. 

The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  Adventist  bodies, 
excepting  the  Adonai  Shomo,  which  is  a  small  commu- 
nistic body,  and  is  given  elsewhere  in  that  group : 

1.  Evangelical  Adventists,        4.  Church  of  God, 

2.  Advent  Christians,  5.  Life  and  Advent  Union, 

3.  Seventh-Day  Adventists,     6.  Churches  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus. 

I. — THE   EVANGELICAL   ADVENTISTS. 

Those  who  could  not  accept  the  views  of  the  Advent 
Christians  as  to  the  mortality  of  the  soul  began  in  1855 
to  hold  separate  meetings,  and  to  be  known  as  Evangelical 
Adventists.  They  believe  that  the  soul  is  immortal ;  that 
all  the  dead  will  be  raised,  the  saints  first  and  the  wicked 
last ;  that  the  former  will  enter  upon  the  millennial  reign 
with  Christ  and  after  the  judgment  receive  as  their  reward 
an  eternity  of  bliss ;  that  the  wicked,  who  will  rise  at  the 
end  of  the  millennial  reign,  will  be  sent  away  into  ever- 
lasting punishment.  They  also  hold,  contrary  to  the  belief 
of  the  Advent  Christians,  that  the  dead  do  not  always 
sleep,  but  are  in  a  conscious  state.  In  other  respects  their 
doctrinal  views  do  not  differ  from  those  of  the  second 
branch. 

They  have  two  annual  conferences,  besides  five  congre- 


THE  ADVENTISTS. 


gations,  unattached,  and  are  found  in  Vermont,  Massachu* 
setts,  Rhode  Island,  and  Pennsylvania.  Besides  the  church 
edifices  reported,  this  denomination  occupies  as  places  of 
worship  5  halls,  etc.,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  775. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Massachusetts 
Pennsylvania  . 
Rhode  Island. 
Vermont . . 


Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Searing 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

3 

2 

250 

$4,500 

150 

21 

16 

3,805 

18,500 

509 

2 

2 

1,100 

33?ooo 

325 

4 

3 

700 

5,400 

I63 

Total 


5,855       61,400     1,147 


SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES. 


CONFERENCES. 


Northern  Vermont . 

Pennsylvania 

Unorganized 


Total 


4 
21 

5 
30 


700 
3,805 


4 
23 


$5,400 
18,500 
37,5oo 


163 
509 

475 


5,855   61,400  1,147 


2. — THE   ADVENT   CHRISTIANS. 

A  difference  of  opinion  on  the  question  of  the  immor- 
tality of  the  soul  led  to  a  division  in  1855.  Those  who  be- 
lieve that  man,  both  body  and  soul,  is  wholly  mortal,  and 
that  eternal  life  is  to  be  had  only  through  personal  faith  in 
Christ  as  the  gift  of  God,  constitute  the  branch  known  as 
the  Advent  Christian  Church.  They  hold  to  the  proxi- 
mate personal  coming  of  Christ,  and  that  after  he  comes 
the  millennium  will  begin ;  they  deny  the  inherent  immor- 
tality of  the  soul,  insisting  that  those  only  shall  put  on 
immortality  at  Christ's  coming  who  are  his  true  disciples ; 
they  believe  that  all  the  dead  are  in  an  unconscious  state ; 


6          RELIGIOUS  FORCES   OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 

that  all  shall  rise  therefrom — the  just  first,  to  receive  the 
gift  of  immortality  and  to  reign  with  Christ;  the  unjust 
last,  to  receive  sentence  of  banishment  and  to  be  punished 
by  annihilation. 

The  Advent  Christians  have  twenty  conferences,  with 
which  three  fifths  of  them  are  connected.  The  rest  are  in 
congregations  which  are  not  associated.  The  congrega- 
tions are  somewhat  loosely  organized,  there  being  no  gen- 
eral set  of  rules  or  particular  form  of  government  provided 
for  them.  They  occupy  as  places  of  worship  281  halls, 
schoolhouses,  and  private  houses,  with  an  aggregate  seat- 
ing capacity  of  34,705  for  the  two  former.  The  seating 
capacity  of  private  houses  is  not  given  in  any  of  the  tables 
in  this  volume. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Alabama  . 

Organi- 
zations. 

TC 

Church 
Edifices. 

I31/ 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

3  825 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$3  OS  5 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

688 

Arkansas 

*J 
22 

6/4 

jj""O 
I   71O 

^rji^jj 
2  QOO 

671 

California  
Connecticut 

14 

26 

8 

21 

1,525 

A     82? 

13,700 

CA     -5OO 

558 

I   3?8 

Florida               .... 

I 

2OO 

IOO 

1JJJU 
60 

Georgia       

1C 

2  OOO 

2.  850 

873 

Illinois 

*D 
21 

14 

•2  77C 

32  8OO 

"/  J 
I  OIQ 

Indiana      

IO 

7 

2  4QO 

9  .4.OO 

ACC 

Iowa                   .  .    . 

•32 

H. 

33OC, 

I70OO 

T-35 

1.272 

Kansas      

•3Q 

72C 

3.2OO 

QQO 

Louisiana  
Maine  

2 

6c 

I 
28  \i 

250 
7,520 

500 
38,IOO 

51 

2,717 

Massachusetts  

•JQ 

21 

C,6oS 

70,  ?oo 

2,611 

Michigan  

7 

2,02? 

9,800 

CQI 

Minnesota  ...    .... 
Mississippi  
Missouri  

14 

I 

7 

9 
"  # 

2,375 
400 

28,150 

300 

710 

30 
23O 

Nebraska 

7 

98 

New  Hampshire  .  .  . 
New  York  
North  Carolina  

43 
17 
18 

26 

10 

IS 

6,500 
2,500 
4,75° 

36,500 
25,500 
8,075 

1,978 
1,048 

1,549 

THE  ADVENTISTS. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. — Continued. 


STATES. 

Ohio  

Organi- 
zations. 

23 

8 
16 

12 
10 

6 
7 

9 
i 

Church 
Edifices. 

17 
I# 

8^ 

10 

6^ 
i 

3 
i 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

5,650 
450 
2,426 
2,650 
2,350 
300 
1,100 
300 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$20,500 
I,OOO 

9,800 
27,450 
2,300 

1,000 

1,900 

2,000 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

953 
132 
469 
950 
811 

163 
185 

321 
8 
1,079 
165 
129 
68  1 
613 

Oregon  

Pennsylvania  

Rhode  Island  

South  Carolina  .... 
South  Dakota 

Tennessee  
Texas 

Utah 

Vermont 

28 

2 

7 
15 

20 

I4A 

2 

I 

6 

12 

3,485 
350 
200 
2,100 
2,580 

26,000 
2,2OO 
700 
2,200 
11,525 

Virginia  
Washington  

W^est  Virginia  

Wisconsin  

Total 

S80 

:MARY 
15 

22 

H 
26 

6 

15 

21 
IO 
32 

19 

65 

14 
H 

7 
7 
43 
23 

15 

7 

£ 

294            80,286    $465,605 

BY  CONFERENCES. 

i3#      3,825      $3,055 
6          1,750        2,900 
1,525       13,700 
21          4.825       54,300 
I               300         i,ooo 
5           2,000         2,850 
H          3,775       32,800 
7           2,490         9,400 

H          3,305       i7,3°° 
J725         3,200 
X      7,520     38,100 

7           2,025         9>goo 
9           2,375       28,150 
]i          400           300 

25,816 

688 
671 
558 
i,358 
163 
873 
1,019 

455 
1,272 
990 
2,317 
59i 
710 
230 
98 
1,978 
953 

261 

185 
321 
10,125 

SUM 
Alabama  

Arkansas  

California  

Connecticut  

Dakota  

Georgia. 

Illinois 

Indiana  .  . 

Iowa           

Kansas      

Maine  

Michigan  

Minnesota  

Missouri 

Nebraska 

New  Hampshire  .  .  . 
Ohio  ....            ... 

26 
17 

2^ 

3 
i 

io7A 

6,500 
5,650 

650 
1,100 

300 

29,246 

36,560 
20,500 

1,700 
1,900 
2,000 
186,150 

Oregon  and  Wash- 
ington       

Tennessee  

Texas 

Unorganized 

Total  .  . 

<8o 

204. 

80,286 

$46«;,6o<; 

2«:,8i6 

8          RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

3. — THE   SEVENTH-DAY   ADVENTISTS. 

These  form  a  branch  of  the  general  movement  of 
1840-44.  They  differ  from  other  Adventists  in  observing 
the  seventh  day  of  the  week  as  the  Sabbath,  in  interpreta- 
tion of  the  prophetic  periods,  and  in  form  of  organization. 
They  believe  that  the  prophetic  period  of  2300  days  re- 
ferred to  in  the  Book  of  Daniel  closed  in  1 844 ;  but  that 
the  coming  of  Christ  was  not  to  be  looked  for  then,  but  is 
to  occur  in  the  indefinite  future.  They  hold  that  Christ, 
in  1844,  at  the  termination  of  the  2300  days,  entered  as 
priest  upon  the  work  of  cleansing  the  heavenly  sanctuary, 
or  temple,  from  "  the  presence  of  our  sins."  This  period, 
which  is  to  be  brief,  is  to  close  with  the  second  coming, 
the  time  of  which  cannot  be  forecast.  The  observance  of 
the  seventh  day  began  with  a  congregation  of  Adventists 
in  New  Hampshire  in  1844.  The  doctrine  respecting  the 
"  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary  "  has  helped  to  establish  and 
confirm  this  observance.  They  believe  that  the  second 
advent  is  to  precede,  not  follow,  the  millennium,  that  the 
state  of  the  dead  is  one  of  unconsciousness,  and  that  im- 
mersion is  the  proper  form  of  baptism.  They  practice  the 
ceremony  of  feet-washing  when  the  Lord's  Supper  is  ad- 
ministered. 

Their  congregations  are  organized  into  conferences,  of 
which  there  are  twenty-six,  besides  five  missions.  There 
is  also  a  general  conference,  which  meets  annually,  com- 
posed of  delegates  from  the  various  conferences.  Ordained 
ministers  are  not  pastors,  but  traveling  evangelists.  The 
local  churches  are  served  by  local  officers  who  need  not  be 
ordained  ministers.  Members  are  expected  to  contribute 
a  tenth  of  their  income  to  the  church. 


THE  ADVENTISTS.  9 

There  are  995  organizations  with  418  edifices,  valued  at 
$644,675,  and  28,891  communicants.  The  average  seat- 
ing capacity  of  the  edifices  is  225,  and  their  average  value 
$1542.  The  headquarters  of  the  Seventh-Day  Adventists 
are  at  Battle  Creek,  Michigan,  and  about  a  sixth  of  their 
communicants  are  in  that  State.  Their  congregations, 
however,  are  found  in  nearly  all  the  States  and  Territories. 
They  occupy  as  places  of  worship  555  halls,  etc.,  with  a 
seating  capacity  of  27,865. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES  AND  TERRITORIES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Educes. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Arizona   

I 

12 

Arkansas  

IS 

3 

850 

$1,000 

363 

California  

34 

24 

8,328 

157,150 

2,226 

Colorado  

U 

2 

650 

4,650 

414 

Connecticut  

3 

I 

150 

2,000 

91 

Delaware  

2 

I 

150 

800 

26 

District  of  Columbia 

I 

Q6 

Florida  

6 

119 

Georgia  

4 



40 

Si 

Idaho  

5 

2 

400 

4,000 

148 

Illinois  

24 

16 

3,550 

52,400 

871 

Indiana  

55 

34iV 

7,900 

32,010 

1,193 

Iowa  

85 

48 

11,249 

58,925 

2,197 

Kansas  

67 

21 

4,165 

15,950 

1,990 

Kentucky  

6 

I* 

400 

800 

80 

Louisiana  

5 

3 

650 

200 

116 

Maine  

25 

4*/3 

1,550 

7,400 

459 

Maryland  

i 



23 

Massachusetts  

15 

2 

600 

5,900 

490 

Michigan  

134 

63 

15,875 

104,075 

4,715 

Minnesota  

71 

31 

5,215 

27,550 

2,313 

Missouri  

24 

7 

1,500 

6,350 

815 

Montana  

2 

i 

200 

1,250 

49 

Nebraska  

38 

9 

1,025 

12,500 

829 

Nevada  

4 

2 

300 

2,025 

56 

New  Hampshire  .  .  . 

4 

I 

20O 

500 

112 

New  Jersey  

5 

3 

425 

1,000 

85 

New  York  

42 

13 

3,000 

23,300 

1,176 

North  Carolina  

5 

3 

400 

500 

83 

10       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES  AND  TERRITORIES. — Continued. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

North  Dakota  

4 

95 

Ohio  

55 

2lK 

5,575 

$25,450 

1,189 

Oregon  

26 

8 

i,  800 

11,300 

683 

Pennsylvania  

36 

io# 

2,350 

16,300 

884 

Rhode  Island  

6 

4 

500 

1,025 

108 

South  Dakota  

30 

9 

2,350 

7,400 

884 

Tennessee  

10 

1* 

i,35o 

2,425 

211 

Texas  

15 

i 

800 

800 

452 

Utah  

i 

29 

Vermont  

26 

4 

1,150 

4,500 

S26 

Virginia  

6 

2 

600 

1,  80O 

114 

Washington  
West  Virginia  

21 

IO 

3 

1,925 
45° 

20,O5O 
2,500 

560 
136 

Wisconsin  

58 

43 

7,045 

28,850 

1,892 

Total 


995      418         94,627  $644,675     28,991 


SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES  AND  MISSIONS. 

Arkansas 15 

Atlantic 10 

California 40 

Colorado 13 

Illinois 24 

Indiana 55 

Iowa 85 

Kansas 67 

Maine 25 

Michigan 134 

Minnesota 75 

Missouri 24 

Nebraska 38 

New  England 28 

New  York 31 

North  Pacific 35 

Ohio 55 

Pennsylvania 46 

South  Dakota 30 

Tennessee  River  ...  1 1 

Texas 15 

Upper  Columbia. ..  17 

Vermont 26 

Virginia 6 

West  Virginia 5 

Wisconsin .  .  58 


3 

850 

$1,000 

363 

4 

575 

1,  800 

309 

26 

8,628 

159,175 

2,323 

2 

650 

4,650 

414 

16 

3,55o 

52,400 

871 

34^ 

7,900 

32,010 

1,193 

48 

11,249 

58,925 

2,197 

21 

4,165 

15,950 

1,990 

42A 

i,55° 

7,400 

459 

63 

i5>875 

104,075 

4,715 

31 

5,215 

27,550 

2,408 

7 

1,500 

6,350 

815 

9 

1,025 

12,500 

829 

8 

1,450 

9,425 

801 

IO 

2,400 

22,800 

883 

12 

2,425 

20,300 

879 

2I# 

5,575 

25,450 

1,189 

i3# 

2,950 

16,800 

1,098 

9 

2,350 

7,400 

884 

5# 

i,55o 

2,425 

220 

i 

800 

800 

452 

8 

1,700 

15,050 

512 

4 

1,150 

4,500 

526 

2 

600 

1,  800 

114 

3 

45° 

2,500 

136 

43 

7,045 

28,850 

1,892 

THE  ADVENTISTS. 


II 


SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES  AND  MISSIONS. — Continued. 


Organi- 
zations. 


Church 
Edifices. 


MISSIONS. 

Cumberland  

c 

i 

Louisiana  

t 

? 

Montana  

2 

i 

North  Carolina  .  .  . 
South  Atlantic  .  . 

5 

10 

3 

Seating 
Ca- 

Value of 
Church 

Com- 
muni- 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

2OO 

$800 

71 

650 

20O 

116 

200 

1,250 

49 

400 

500 

83 



40 

200 

Total 995        4i8       94,627     $644,675     28,991 

4. — THE   CHURCH    OF   GOD. 

The  Church  of  God  is  a  branch  of  the  Seventh-Day 
Adventists.  A  division  occurred  among  the  latter  in  the 
years  1864-66.  This  division  resulted  in  the  organization 
of  the  Church  of  God.  The  chief  cause  of  the  division 
was,  it  is  stated,  the  claim  of  the  Seventh- Day  Adventists 
that  Mrs.  Ellen  G.  White  was  inspired  and  that  her  visions 
should  be  accepted  as  inspired.  There  are  differences 
between  the  two  bodies  on  the  subject  of  health-reform — 
which  is  made  prominent  by  the  parent  body — abstinence 
from  swine's  flesh,  tea,  and  coffee — which  the  latter  recom- 
mends— and  with  relation  to  prophecy. 

The  Church  of  God  has  three  annual  conferences,  also  a 
general  conference  representing  the  whole  denomination. 
The  number  of  members  is  647.  There  are  23  halls,  etc., 
with  a  seating  capacity  of  1445. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Indiana  

2 





20 

Kansas  

....            I 

2O 

Michigan 

1C 

"$6oo 

248 

Missouri  .... 

II 

I 

2OO 

800 

359 

Total 29 


200         $1,400          647 


12       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES. 


as 


Kansas  &  Nebraska  i 

Michigan  .........  17 

Missouri  ..........  u 

Total  .........  29 


200 


$6oo 
800 


Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

2O 
268 

359 


200        $1,400         647 


5. — THE   LIFE   AND   ADVENT   UNION. 

This  branch  differs  from  the  Evangelical  and  Advent 
Cnristian  bodies  respecting  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  wicked  dead.  Both  the  latter  believe  that  the 
wicked  dead  will  rise  at  the  end  of  the  millennial  reign 
and  be  sentenced  to  everlasting  punishment  which,  accord- 
ing to  the  Evangelical  Adventists,  will  be  everlasting  suf- 
fering, and  according  to  the  Advent  Christians,  everlasting 
destruction.  The  Life  and  Advent  Union  holds  that  they 
will  not  rise  at  all ;  that  when  they  die  they  die  never  to 
wake,  but  are  doomed  to  sleep  eternal.  This  belief  had 
adherents  as  early  as  1844.  The  branch,  however,  dates 
from  1864.  It  was  organized  in  Wilbraham,  Mass. 

It  has  28  organizations,  fourteen  of  which  are  in  New 
England.  It  has  about  1000  members.  There  are  19 
halls,  etc.,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  1830. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Connecticut  

Organi- 
zations. 

6 

Church 
Edifices. 

I 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

ICO 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$3,O4O 

Delaware  

i 

Iowa  

i 

Maine              .   .  . 

7 

I,2OO 

I.2CO 

Massachusetts 

c 

2 

CQO 

2,OOO 

New  Jersey       .  .  . 

I 

I 

ICQ 

QOO 

New  York  

2 

I 

3OO 

Q.COO 

Rhode  Island  .... 

I 

IOO 

Virginia  . 

4. 

Total 


28 


Com- 

muni- 
cants. 

243 

75 

20 

1 88 

177 

56 

140 

75 

44 


8          2,250     $16,790       1,018 


THE  ADVENTISTS.  13 

6. — THE   CHURCHES  OF   GOD   IN   CHRIST  JESUS. 

The  members  of  this  branch  are  popularly  known  as 
Age- to- Come  Adventists.  They  believe  that  God  is 
pledged,  through  the  mouth  of  the  prophets,  to  the  final 
restitution  of  all  things,  and  expect  to  see  the  kingdom  of 
God  established  on  earth,  with  Christ  as  King  of  kings,  the 
saints  being  associated  with  him  in  the  government  of  the 
world.  They  believe  that  Israel  will  be  restored  to  rule  in 
Jerusalem;  that  the  dead  will  have  a  literal  resurrection, 
the  righteous  to  receive  the  blessings  of  immortality  and 
the  wicked  to  be  destroyed ;  and  that  eternal  life  comes 
only  through  Christ.  They  hold  that  acceptance  of  the 
gospel,  repentance,  immersion  in  the  name  of  Christ  for 
the  remission  of  sins,  are  conditions  of  forgiveness  of  sins, 
and  that  a  holy  life  is  essential  to  salvation. 

They  have  churches  in  twenty-three  States.  They  are 
associated  in  district  conferences,  and  there  is  also  a  gen- 
eral conference.  There  are  61  halls,  etc.,  with  a  seating 
capacity  of  4825. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATBS. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Arkansas  .  .  . 

3 

3 

400 

$500 

59 

California  .  .  . 

3 

Delaware  .  .  . 

i 

16 

Florida  

i 

10 

Illinois  

10 

4 

700 

2,700 

541 

Indiana  

19 

9 

3,050 

9,900 

621 

Iowa  

4 

i 

2OO 

2,000 

121 

Kansas  

9 

i 

200 

40O 

205 

Louisiana  .  .  . 

i 

10 

Maryland  .  .  . 

2 

i 

180 

275 

47 

Michigan  .  .  . 

7 

2 

375 

3,800 

170 

Mississippi  .  . 

i 

% 

200 

100 

9 

Missouri  .... 

3 

49 

Nebraska  .  .  . 

9 

I 

200 

500 

20$ 

New  Jersey.  . 

2 

New  York  .  . 

i 



400 

48 

14       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. — Continued. 


Ohio 

Oregon  

Pennsylvania  . 
South  Dakota 
Washington . . 
West  Virginia 
Wisconsin.  . 


Total 


Organi- 
zations, 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

5 

5 

1,175 

$21,500 

319 

6 

l# 

550 

I  ,OOO 

89 

i 

I 

300 

3,ooo 

90 

2 

2Q 

7 

OO 

I 

70 

I 

36 

95 


30          7,530     $46,075       2,872 


The   following   table    represents   the   six    branches   of 
Adventists  : 

SUMMARY  OF  ALL  ADVENTISTS. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Alabama  

15 

13 

3,825 

$3,055 

688 

Arizona  

I 

12 

Arkansas  

40 

12 

3,000 

4,400 

I,°93 

California  

51 

32 

9,853 

170,850 

2,822 

Colorado  

13 

2 

650 

4,650 

414 

Connecticut  

35 

23 

5,075 

59,340 

1,692 

Delaware  

4 

I 

150 

800 

117 

District  of  Columbia 

i 

Florida  

ii 

I 

200 

100 

189 

Georgia  

19 

5 

2,000 

2,890 

954 

Idaho  

5 

2 

40O 

4,000 

148 

Illinois  
Indiana  

y 

34 
5i 

8,025 
13,440 

87,900 
5i,3io 

2,431 
2,289 

Iowa  

122 

63 

14,754 

78,425 

3,610 

Kansas  

107 

25 

5,000 

19,550 

3,205 

Kentucky  

6 

i 

400 

800 

80 

Louisiana  

8 

4 

000 

700 

177 

Maine  

97 

36 

10,270 

46,750 

2,964 

Maryland  

3 

i 

1  80 

275 

70 

Massachusetts  

62 

27 

6,955 

82,900 

3,428 

Michigan  

170 

72 

18,275 

118,275 

5,724 

Minnesota  

8* 

40 

7,590 

55,7oo 

3,023 

Mississippi  
Missouri  

2 

45 

8* 

200 
2,100 

100 

7,450 

39 
i,453 

Montana  

2 

I 

200 

1,250 

49 

Nebraska  

54 

10 

1,225 

13,000 

1,132 

THE  ADVENTISTS. 


SUMMARY  OF  ALL  ADVENTISTS. — Continued. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Nevada  

4 

2 

300 

$2,025 

56 

New  Hampshire  .  .  . 

47 

27 

6,700 

37,000 

2,090 

New  Jersey  

8 

4 

575 

1,900 

172 

New  York  

62 

24 

5,800 

58,700 

2,412 

North  Carolina  

23 

18 

5»I50 

8,575 

1,632 

North  Dakota  

4 

95 

Ohio  

83 

44 

12,400 

67,450 

2,461 

Oregon  

40 

ii 

2,800 

13,300 

904 

Pennsylvania  

74 

36 

8,881 

47,800 

1,952 

Rhode  Island  

21 

16 

4,250 

6i,575 

1,458 

South  Carolina  .... 
South  Dakota  

IO 
38 

7 

IO 

2,350 
2,650 

2,300 
8,400 

811 
1,076 

Tennessee  

17 

8 

2,450 

4,325 

396 

Texas  

24 

2 

1,100 

2,800 

773 

Utah  

2 

37 

Vermont  

58 

22 

5,335 

35,900 

1,768 

Virginia  

12 

4 

950 

4,000 

323 

Washington  
West  Virginia  

31 
21 

II 

9 

2,125 
2,550 

20,750 
4,700 

788 
847 

Wisconsin  

79 

55 

9,625 

40,375 

2,541 

Total 1,757      774   190,748   $1,236,345     60,491 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE     BAPTISTS. 

THERE  are  numerous  bodies  of  Christians  who  are  called 
Baptists.  While  they  differ  on  other  points  they  all  agree 
on  these:  that  (i)  the  only  proper  subjects  of  Christian 
baptism  are  those  who  have  been  converted  and  profess 
(personal  faith  in  Christ;  and  that  (2)  the  only  Scriptural 
baptism  is  immersion.  They  therefore  reject  infant  bap- 
tism as  invalid,  and  sprinkling  or  pouring  as  unscriptural. 
There  are  certain  denominations  which  accept  these  princi- 
ples in  whole  or  in  part — the  Disciples  of  Christ,  the  Chris- 
tians, the  Mennonites,  and  others — but  they  are  not  Bap- 
tists in  name,  and  are  not  counted  as  such  in  any  strict 
classification.  The  Disciples  of  Christ  accept  the  two 
principles  above  stated,  but  also  hold  that  it  is  only  through 
baptism  that  "  divine  assurance  of  remission  of  sins  and 
acceptance  with  God  "  is  received.  The  Christians  gener- 
ally believe  in  immersion  for  believers,  but  do  not  refuse 
to  tolerate  pouring  or  sprinkling;  while  the  Mennonites 
baptize  usually  by  pouring. 

The  Baptists  appear  in  history  as  early  as  the  first  quar- 
ter of  the  sixteenth  century.  Beginning  in  Switzerland  in 
!523,  they  soon  took  root  in  Germany,  Holland,  and  other 
countries  on  the  Continent,  whence  they  found  their  way 
to  England,  driven  thence  by  the  persecution  which  their 
rejection  of  infant  baptism  occasioned.  Persons  who  had 
been  baptized  in  infancy,  on  professing  conversion  and 

16 


THE  BAPTISTS.  I  7 

applying  for  admission  to  Baptist  churches  were  baptized 
again.  Hence  the  persecuted  people  were  often  called 
Anabaptists.  The  first  Baptist  churches  in  England  were 
organized  before  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century. 
The  American  Baptists  did  not  spring  historically  from  the 
English  Baptists.  They  trace  their  origin  to  Roger  Will- 
iams, a  minister  of  the  Church  of  England,  who  came  over 
to  Massachusetts,  whence  he  was  driven  because  he  did 
not  conform  to  Congregationalism,  which  was  the  estab- 
lished religion  of  that  province.  He  became  the  founder 
of  the  colony  of  Rhode  Island,  which,  by  the  charter 
secured  by  him  in  1644,  was  declared  free  to  all  forms  of 
religion.  Five  years  previously  Mr.  Williams  had  become 
a  convert  to  Baptist  principles,  and  had  been  immersed  by 
one  of  the  members  of  his  Church,  Ezekiel  Holliman, 
whom  he  in  turn  immersed,  with  ten  others.  Of  these 
he  organized  a  Baptist  church  in  Providence.  Of  course 
there  were  Baptists  among  the  immigrants  who  came  across 
the  sea  in  the  seventeenth  century  and  later,  and  Baptist 
churches  became  numerous  in  New  England,  New  York, 
Pennsylvania,  Virginia,  Georgia,  and  other  States  before  the 
close  of  the  eighteenth  century. 

The  Baptists  are  variously  divided.  The  Regular  Bap- 
tists, who  constitute  the  great  majority  in  this  country, 
exist  in  three  bodies,  Northern,  Southern,  and  Colored. 
They  are  Calvinistic  in  doctrine.  The  Freewill  Baptists, 
existing  in  two  bodies,  together  with  the  General  Baptists 
and  others,  are  Arminian  in  doctrine.  The  Primitive  or 
Old- School  Baptists,  of  which  there  are  two  or  three 
branches,  are  strongly  Calvinistic.  They  also  oppose  Sun- 
day-schools, missionary  societies,  and  other  "  human  insti- 
tutions." 


1 8       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

Baptist  churches  are  defined  as  "bodies  of  baptized 
believers,  with  pastors  and  deacons,  covenanted  together 
for  religious  worship  and  religious  work."  All  Baptist 
denominations  are  Congregational  in  polity,  with,  perhaps, 
the  exception  of  the  Original  Freewill  Baptists.  Each 
church  manages  its  own  affairs.  There  are  associations 
and  similar  organizations,  composed  of  ministers  and  repre- 
sentatives of  the  churches,  but  they  have  no  ecclesiastical 
power.  There  are  also  State  conventions,  variously  consti- 
tuted of  representatives  of  associations,  of  other  organiza- 
tions, and  of  churches.  Associations  and  conventions  are 
chiefly  concerned  with  the  general  interests  of  the  churches, 
such  as  missions,  Sunday-schools,  education,  etc.  Men 
are  ordained  to  the  pastorate  by  councils  consisting  of  min- 
isters and  representatives  of  neighboring  churches.  Coun- 
cils also  "  recognize  "  new  churches,  and  advise  churches 
whenever  requested  so  to  do  in  cases  of  difficulty.  Dea- 
cons are  officers  of  the  church,  charged  with  the  care  of 
the  poor,  the  visitation  of  the  sick,  and  similar  duties. 

The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  the  various  Baptist 
bodies : 

1.  Regular  (North),  8.  General, 

2.  Regular  (South),  9.  Separate, 

3.  Regular  (Colored),  10.  United, 

4.  Six  Principle,  n.  Baptist  Church  of  Christ, 

5.  Seventh-Day,  12.  Primitive, 

6.  Freewill,  13.  Old    Two-Seed-in-the- Spirit 

7.  Original  Freewill,  Predestinarian. 

THE   REGULAR   BAPTISTS. 

There  are  three  bodies  of  Regular  Baptists,  the  North- 
ern, Southern,  and  Colored.  They  are  not  separate  by 
virtue  of  doctrinal  or  ecclesiastical  differences;  but  each, 


THE  BAPTISTS.  19 

nevertheless,  has  its  own  associations,  State  conventions, 
and  general  missionary  and  other  organizations. 

The  question  of  slavery  was  the  cause  of  the  separation 
between  the  Baptists  of  the  Northern  and  the  Baptists  of 
the  Southern  States.  In  1844  the  controversy,  which  had 
been  going  on  for  some  time,  entered  upon  the  decisive 
stage.  The  Alabama  State  convention,  representing  the 
Baptists  of  that  State,  adopted  in  that  year  a  series  of 
resolutions  demanding  "  from  the  proper  authorities  in  all 
these  bodies  to  whose  funds  we  have  contributed  .  .  . 
the  distinct,  explicit  avowal  that  slaveholders  are  eligible 
and  entitled  equally  with  non- slaveholders  to  all  the  priv- 
ileges and  immunities  of  their  several  unions,  and  espe- 
cially to  receive  any  agency  or  mission  or  other  appointment 
which  may  run  with  the  scope  of  their  operations  or  duties." 
The  Board  of  Foreign  Missions,  which  had  its  headquarters 
in  Boston,  and  received  contributions  from  the  whole 
denomination,  made  answer  to  the  demand  of  the  Alabama 
convention,  saying :  "  If  any  one  should  offer  himself  as  a 
missionary,  having  slaves  and  insisting  on  retaining  them 
as  his  property,  we  could  not  appoint  him.  One  thing  is 
certain,  we  can  never  be  a  party  to  any  arrangement  which 
would  imply  approbation  of  slavery/'  The  board  of  the 
Home  Mission  Society  made  a  similar  declaration  of  policy, 
and  division  took  place  in  1845. 

The  Regular  Baptists  accept  the  Bible  as  the  only  rule 
of  faith  and  practice.  To  its  authority  all  appeals  are 
made.  There  are,  however,  two  general  confessions  of 
faith,  which  have  weight  among  them  as  expressions  of 
their  belief.  The  older  one,  known  as  the  Philadelphia 
Confession,  first  appeared  in  London  in  the  seventeenth 
century ;  the  other,  called  the  New  Hampshire  Confession, 


20       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

was  adopted  by  the  New  Hampshire  State  convention  in 
1833.  The  Philadelphia  Confession  follows  closely  the 
Westminster  (Presbyterian)  Confession  of  Faith,  with  such 
changes  and  additions  as  were  required  to  set  forth  the 
Baptist  views  as  to  the  proper  subjects  and  mode  of  bap- 
tism and  related  questions,  and  as  to  church  government. 
The  New  Hampshire  Confession  was  formulated  to  express 
the  views  of  the  Calvinistic  Baptists  in  their  controversy 
with  the  Freewill  Baptists,  who  were  of  the  Arminian 
type  of  theology.  It  is  regarded  as  fairly  representing  the 
doctrinal  opinions  of  Northern  Baptists,  while  the  Philadel- 
phia Confession  is  more  acceptable,  perhaps,  to  Southern 
Baptists.  It  is  the  common  practice  of  Southern  associa- 
tions to  print  articles  of  faith  in  their  annual  minutes.  In 
a  few  instances  the  whole  New  Hampshire  Confession 
thus  appears ;  in  other  cases  it  is  shortened  by  the  omis- 
sion of  two  or  more  articles.  The  following  articles  taken 
from  it  express  the  views  of  all  Regular  Baptists : 

"  We  believe  that  a  visible  church  of  Christ  is  a  Congre- 
gation of  baptized  believers  associated  by  covenant  in  the 
faith  and  fellowship  of  the  gospel,  observing  the  ordinances 
of  Christ,  governed  by  his  laws,  and  exercising  the  gifts, 
rights,  and  privileges  invested  in  them  by  his  word ;  that 
its  only  scriptural  officers  are  bishops  or  pastors  and  dea- 
cons, whose  qualifications,  claims,  and  duties  are  defined  in 
the  epistles  to  Timothy  and  Titus. 

"  We  believe  that  Christian  baptism  is  immersion  in 
water  of  a  believer,  into  the  name  of  the  Father  and  Son 
and  Holy  Ghost,  to  show  forth,  in  a  solemn  and  beautiful 
emblem,  our  faith  in  the  crucified,  buried,  and  risen  Sav- 
iour, with  its  effect  in  our  death  to  sin  and  resurrection  to 
a  new  life;  that  it  is  prerequisite  to  the  privileges  of  a 


THE  BAPTISTS.  21 

church  relation  and  to  the  Lord's  Supper,  in  which  the 
members  of  the  church,  by  the  sacred  use  of  bread  and 
wine,  are  to  commemorate  together  the  dying  love  of 
Christ,  preceded  always  by  solemn  self-examination." 

The  Southern  associations  generally  set  forth  brief  arti- 
cles of  faith,  varying  somewhat  in  phraseology,  but  declar- 
ing the  same  doctrines.  One  of  these  compendiums  con- 
sists of  twelve  articles.  It  appears  more  often  than  any 
other  form  in  the  minutes  of  the  various  associations,  some- 
times with  two  or  more  articles  omitted,  sometimes  with  a 
distinct  one  added.  Articles  I  and  2  state  the  doctrine  of 
the  Trinity,  and  accept  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testament  as  the  word  of  God  and  only  "  rule  of  faith  and 
practice  " ;  Article  3  declares  that  "  God  chose  his  people 
in  Christ  Jesus  before  the  foundation  of  the  world  "  and 
"  predestinated  them  unto  the  adoption  of  children  "  ;  Arti- 
cle 4,  that  man  is  a  sinner  and  consequently  in  a  lost  con- 
dition; Article  5,  that  he  has  no  power  of  his  own  free  will 
and  ability  to  recover  himself  from  his  fallen  state ;  Article 
6,  that  sinners  are  "  justified  in  the  sight  of  God  only  by 
the  righteousness  of  Jesus  Christ "  ;  Article  7,  that  the  elect 
are  "  called,  regenerated,  and  sanctified  by  the  Holy  Spirit 
through  the  Gospel  "  ;  Article  8,  that  nothing  can  separate 
true  believers  from  the  love  of  God,  "  and  that  they  shall 
be  kept  by  the  power  of  God  through  faith  unto  salva- 
tion " ;  Article  9,  that  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper  are 
ordinances  of  Christ,  and  that  believers  are  the  only  sub- 
jects of  them,  and  immersion  is  the  only  baptism ;  Article 
10,  that  the  dead  shall  rise,  and  there  shall  be  a  final  judg- 
ment; Article  1 1,  that  the  "  punishment  of  the  wicked  will 
be  everlasting  and  the  joys  of  the  righteous  eternal  "  ;  Arti- 
cle 12,  that  no  minister  has  the  right  to  administer  the 


22       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 

ordinances  unless  he  is  called  of  God,  has  "  come  under  the 
imposition  of  hands  by  a  presbytery,"  and  is  "  in  fellowship 
with  the  church  of  which  he  is  a  member."  This  summary 
fairly  represents  the  various  forms  of  confession  in  use. 
Some  of  the  colored  associations  insert  as  an  additional 
article  the  doctrine  that  "  pedobaptism  by  immersion  is  not 
valid  even  when  the  administrator  himself  has  been  im- 
mersed." One  colored  association  in  Louisiana  has  an 
abstract  of  faith  which  declares  that  the  "  blessings  of  sal- 
vation are  free  to  all " ;  that  election  by  God  is  consistent 
with  man's  free  agency ;  and  that  only  such  as  are  real 
believers  persevere  to  the  end.  These  are  modified  state- 
ments of  the  doctrines  of  election,  free  agency,  and  final 
perseverance  as  usually  held  by  Baptist  associations  in  the 
South.  A  few  associations  enjoin  the  washing  of  the 
saints'  feet  as  a  religious  rite. 

I. — THE   REGULAR   BAPTISTS   (NORTH). 

The  Baptist  churches  in  the  Northern  States,  after  the 
division  of  1845,  continued  to  support,  on  an  antislavery 
basis,  the  Home  Mission  Society  and  the  Baptist  Union, 
the  latter  taking  the  place  of  the  Board  of  Foreign  Mis- 
sions. In  1879  the  question  of  the  organic  union  of  North- 
ern and  Southern  Baptists  came  up,  but  nothing  was 
accomplished.  The  Southern  Baptist  convention  of  that 
year,  in  appointing  five  delegates  to  the  anniversaries  of 
the  Northern  Baptist  societies,  expressed  its  fraternal  re- 
gard ;  but  insisted  on  "  the  wisdom  and  policy  of  pre- 
serving our  separate  organizations."  On  the  part  of  the 
Northern  Baptists  a  leading  denominational  journal  said 
they  were  generally  agreed  that  it  would  be  "  wholly  unad- 


THE  BAPTISTS.  2$ 

visable  to  try  to  bring  about  organic  union  between  the 
Baptists  of  the  North  and  South." 

The  Northern  Baptists  have  churches  in  all  the  States 
north  of  the  Virginias,  Kentucky,  Missouri,  and  Texas,  in- 
cluding the  District  of  Columbia.  Some  churches  on  the 
border  divide  their  contributions  for  the  general  benevo- 
lences between  the  Northern  and  Southern  Baptist  bodies, 
and  one  educational  society  represents  both. 

There  are  414  associations  of  Northern  Baptists,  who  are 
strongest  in  the  States  of  New  York  (129,711),  Illinois 
(95,237),  and  Pennsylvania  (83,122).  In  three  other  States 
they  have  over  50,000  communicants  each :  Massachusetts, 
59,830;  Ohio,  57,685  ;  and  Indiana,  54,080.  There  are  in 
all  800,450  communicants,  belonging  to  7907  organiza- 
tions, with  7070  edifices,  valued  at  $49,530,504.  The 
average  value  of  the  edifices  is  $7006,  and  the  average 
seating  capacity  308;  1165  halls,  etc.,  with  a  seating 
capacity  of  109,350,  are  also  occupied. 

There  is  a  considerable  number  of  German  Baptist 
churches,  most  of  which  are  in  the  Northern  and  Western 
States.  The  earliest  of  them  were  organized  in  Pennsyl- 
vania in  1840  and  1841.  These  German  Baptists  are  not 
to  be  confounded  with  the  Dunkards,  who  are  often  called 
German  Baptists.  Their  churches  are  reported  in  con- 
nection with  the  various  associations  within  whose  bounds 
they  are  situated,  but  they  also  have  conferences  of  their 
own.  There  are  five  of  these  conferences,  the  Eastern, 
Central,  Southwestern,  Northwestern,  and  Texas,  and 
they  meet  annually.  There  is  also  a  general  conference 
in  which  they  are  all  represented.  This  conference  meets 
once  in  three  years.  There  are  in  all  upward  of  200 
German  churches  with  about  17,000  members.  There 


24       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 

are  also  some  200  Swedish  churches  with  more  than 
12,000  members,  a  few  Danish  churches,  and  a  number 
of  Welsh  churches. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Drgani- 

Church 
Edifices 

Seating 
Ca- 

Value of 
Church 

Com- 
muni- 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

Arizona  

6 

4 

875 

$11,200 

197 

California  

163 

121 

34,025 

744,360 

11,204 

Colorado  

54 

40 

440,000 

4,944 

Connecticut  

135 

138 

47,280 

1,650,050 

22,372 

Delaware  

13 

16 

4,782 

165,300 

1,823 

District  of  Columbia 

2 

2 

1,900 

65,000 

3,000 

Idaho  

20 

IO 

2,  1  80 

26,100 

656 

Illinois  

996 

911 

282,463 

3,495,010 

95,237 

Indiana  

552 

515 

164,055 

1,313,422 

54,080 

Iowa  

417 

340 

89,231 

1,162,640 

30,901 

Kansas  

545 

339 

87,015 

893,233 

32,172 

Maine  

237 

223 

61,669 

921,550 

18,917 

Massachusetts  

346 

142,589 

6,107,830 

59,830 

Michigan  

395 

353 

ioi,535 

1,858,419 

34,H5 

Minnesota  

194 

161 

40,575 

1,107,839 

14,698 

Montana  

ii 

2,950 

89,000 

683 

Nebraska  

230 

164 

36,590 

514,710 

11,917 

Nevada  
New  Hampshire  .  .  . 

i 

85 

i 

97 

500 
28,310 

7,000 
585,050 

8,768 

New  Jersey  

224 

252 

94,575 

2,957,628 

38,757 

New  Mexico  

15 

4 

1,250 

22,000 

355 

New  York  

875 

898 

309,581 

12,938,913 

129,711 

North  Dakota  

33 

7,675 

90,300 

2,298 

Ohio  

616 

585 

168,835 

2,543,888 

57,685 

Oregon  

108 

69 

i7,74o 

317,325 

5,3o6 

Pennsylvania  

634 

642 

219,589 

5,984,322 

83,122 

Rhode  Island  

68 

73 

28,693 

1,151,960 

12,055 

South  Dakota  

83 

54 

227,175 

3,856 

Utah  

4 

3 

700 

65,000 

327 

Vermont  

100 

103 

28,124 

584,500 

8,933 

Washington  

90 

55 

12,540 

241,760 

3,870 

West  Virginia  

458 

324 

94,045 

381,200 

34,154 

Wisconsin  

192 

1  80 

46,131 

838,945 

14,152 

Wyoming  

9 

3 

525 

27,875 

262 

Total 7,907  7,070  2,180,773  $49,530,504  800,450 


THE  BAPTISTS.  2$ 

2. — THE   REGULAR   BAPTISTS   (SOUTH). 

This  is  the  more  numerous  branch  of  white  Baptists. 
After  the  division  of  1845  the  Southern  churches  organized 
the  Southern  Baptist  convention,  which  meets  annually,  to 
consider,  promote,  and  direct  the  general  interests  of  the 
denomination,  such  as  home  and  foreign  missions  and 
Sunday-schools.  It  is  composed  of  delegates  from  asso- 
ciations and  other  organizations,  and  from  churches.  It 
has  no  ecclesiastical  authority  whatever.  It  represents 
churches  in  sixteen  States,  including  Kansas,  which  has 
a  few  churches  belonging  to  an  association  in  Missouri, 
the  District  of  Columbia,  the  Indian  Territory,  and  Okla- 
homa. 

The  oldest  Baptist  churches  and  associations  are  in  the 
North.  Of  the  seventy-seven  churches  reported  for  1770 
only  seven  were  in  the  South ;  these  were  in  Delaware,  the 
Carolinas,  and  Virginia.  In  the  next  decade  churches  rose 
in  Georgia,  Tennessee,  and  Kentucky.  There  were  none, 
however,  in  Missouri,  Mississippi,  and  Louisiana  until  after 
the  present  century  opened,  and  none  in  Arkansas  until  a 
considerably  later  date.  The  first  association  in  the  South 
was  that  of  South  Carolina,  organized  in  1751  ;  those  of 
Sandy  Creek  and  Kehukee,  in  North  Carolina,  were  organ- 
ized in  1758  and  1765  respectively;  the  Ketocton,  in  Vir- 
ginia, in  1766;  and  the  Holston,  in  Tennessee,  in  1786. 
Virginia  was  in  1784  the  Baptist  stronghold,  having  more 
than  forty-two  per  cent,  of  all  the  members.  It  maintained 
the  lead  for  nearly  half  a  century,  then  lost  it,  and  regained 
it  from  New  York  in  1850,  and  held  it  until  Georgia  took 
it  some  fifteen  or  twenty  years  later. 

Kentucky,  North  Carolina,  Georgia,  Texas,  Missouri,  and 


26       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 

Tennessee  are  the  great  Baptist  States  of  the  South.  They 
contain  nearly  two  thirds  of  the  total  of  members.  Ken- 
tucky has  153,668;  North  Carolina,  153,648;  Georgia,  13  7,- 
860;  Texas,  129,734;  Missouri,  121,985;  and  Tennessee, 
106,632 — making  a  total  of  803,527  in  these  six  States. 
Alabama  reports  98,185;  Virginia,  92,693;  Mississippi, 
82,315  ;  and  South  Carolina,  76,216.  In  all,  the  Southern 
Baptists  number  1,280,066.  These  members  are  divided 
among  16,238  organizations,  which  report  13,502  edifices, 
with  a  seating  capacity  of  4,349,407,  and  an  aggregate 
value  of  $18,196,637.  Besides  the  edifices,  2641  halls, 
etc.,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  326,000,  are  used  as  places 
of  worship. 

Southern  Baptists  seem  to  be  very  thoroughly  distrib- 
uted over  the  States  they  occupy.  They  have  organi- 
zations in  all  the  counties  in  the  State  of  Alabama  (66). 
In  the  State  of  Arkansas  they  have  organizations  in  74 
counties  out  of  75  ;  in  South  Carolina,  in  34  out  of  35  ; 
in  Florida,  in  44  out  of  45;  in  Georgia,  in  135  out  of 
137;  in  Kentucky,  in  1 1 1  out  of  119;  in  Louisiana,  in  38 
out  of  59;  in  Mississippi,  in  74  out  of  75  ;  in  Missouri,  in 
114  out  of  115;  in  North  Carolina,  in  95  out  of  96;  in 
Tennessee,  in  92  out  of  96;  in  Texas,  in  185  out  of  244; 
in  Virginia,  in  96  out  of  100. 

There  are  658  associations,  the  largest  of  which  is  the 
Dover,  of  Virginia,  having  1 1,71 1  members.  The  associ- 
ations are  given  alphabetically  under  each  State,  but  are 
not  footed  by  States,  because  many  of  them  cross  State 
lines. 

The  average  seating  capacity  of  edifices  is  322,  and  the 
average  value  $1348. 


THE  BAPTISTS. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


27 


STATES. 

Alabama  

Orjjani- 

zations. 

M95 
1,107 
16 
403 
1,647 
181 
6 
1,441 
482 

47 
1,125 
1,636 
1,480 
8 

759 
1,287 
2,318 
787 
13 

Church 
Edifices. 

1,373 
732 
16 

334 
1,602 
no 

4 
1,277 
438 
48 
1,071 
1,265 
1,472 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

407,119 

220,390 
6,OOO 

73,435 
519,050 
18,485 
700 
426,720 
108,730 
21,420 
3i9>37<> 

390,775 
603,938 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$1,170,219 
408,885 
466,OOO 
208,933 
1,848,675 

35,765 
2,100 
2,364,238 

333,977 
651,050 

689,451 
2,386,898 
1,662,405 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

98,185 

58,364 
3,621 

18,747 
137,860 

9,H7 
273 
153,668 

27,736 
8,017 

82,315 
121,985 
153,648 
216 
76,216 
106,632 

129,734 
92,693 
1,009 

Arkansas 

Dist.  of  Columbia 
Florida 

Georgia       ...    . 

Indian  Territory 
Kansas     

Kentucky  

Louisiana  
Maryland  

Mississippi 

Missouri              . 

North  Carolina  . 
Oklahoma  
South  Carolina  . 
Tennessee  
Texas  
Virginia 

748 

i,i59 
i,  08  1 
762 
10 

234,080 

396,715 
332,348 
266,982 
3,i5o 

894,724 
1,802,015 

1,384,035 
1,859,292 

27,975 

West  Virginia  .  . 

Total 16,238  13,502  4,349,407  $18,196,637  1,280,066 

3. — THE    REGULAR   BAPTISTS    (COLORED). 

The  Colored  Baptists  of  the  South  constitute  the  most 
numerous  body  of  Regular  Baptists.  Not  all  Colored  Bap- 
tists are  embraced  in  this  division ;  only  those  who  have 
separate  churches,  associations,  and  State  conventions. 
There  are  many  Colored  Baptists  in  Northern  States,  who 
are  mostly  counted  as  members  of  churches  belonging  to 
white  associations.  None  of  them  are  included  in  the  fol- 
lowing tables. 

The  first  State  convention  of  Colored  Baptists  was  organ- 
ized in  North  Carolina  in  1866;  the  second  in  Alabama 
and  the  third  in  Virginia  in  1867 ;  the  fourth  in  Arkansas 


28       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

in  1 868 ;  and  the  fifth  in  Kentucky  in  1 869.  There  are 
colored  conventions  in  fifteen  States. 

In  addition  to  these  organizations  the  Colored  Baptists 
of  the  United  States  have  others  more  general  in  character : 
the  American  National  Convention,  the  purpose  of  which 
is  "  to  consider  the  moral,  intellectual,  and  religious  growth 
of  the  denomination,"  to  deliberate  upon  questions  of  gen- 
eral concern,  and  to  devise  methods  to  bring  the  churches 
and  members  of  the  race  closer  together ;  the  Consolidated 
American  Missionary  Convention ;  the  General  Association 
of  the  Western  States  and  Territories ;  the  Foreign  Mission 
Convention  of  the  United  States,  and  the  New  England 
Missionary  Convention.  All  except  the  first  are  missionary 
in  their  purpose. 

The  American  National  Convention,  in  its  annual  session 
in  1890,  adopted  a  resolution  recommending  that  the  prac- 
tice of  receiving  into  membership  persons  immersed  in 
Pedobaptist  churches  be  discontinued,  on  the  ground  that 
Pedobaptist  organizations  are  not  churches,  and  therefore 
have  no  power  to  administer  baptism.  The  exchange  of 
pulpits  with  Pedobaptists  was  also  condemned  as  "  incon- 
sistent and  erroneous." 

It  was  extremely  difficult  to  obtain  returns  of  a  third  or 
more  of  the  Colored  Baptist  associations  in  the  South.  No 
response  was  made,  in  many  instances,  to  repeated  requests 
to  clerks  or  moderators  for  statistics.  Some  of  their  State 
missionaries,  professors,  and  others  were  induced  to  under- 
take the  work  of  gathering  the  returns  of  such  associations 
for  the  eleventh  census,  and  after  more  than  a  year  and  a 
half  of  earnest  endeavor,  all  possible  resources  being  ex- 
hausted in  the  effort,  full  reports  were  secured  from  all 


THE  BAPTISTS.  29 

Several  correspondents  reported  to  the  Census  Office  that 
radical  changes  in  colored  associations  are  frequent.  A 
few  discontented  churches  often  withdraw  and  form  a  new 
association,  which  continues  for  a  year  or  two,  and  then  is 
absorbed  by  another  association.  The  boundaries  of  these 
bodies  change  frequently,  and  sometimes  they  are  also 
quite  irregular,  embracing  not  contiguous  territory,  but 
counties  or  portions  of  counties  widely  separated. 

The  Colored  Baptists  are  represented  in  fifteen  States, 
all  in  the  South,  or  on  the  border,  and  in  the  District  of 
Columbia.  In  Virginia  and  Georgia  they  are  very  nu- 
merous, having  in  the  latter  200,516,  and  in  the  former 
199,871  communicants.  In  Alabama  they  have  142,437; 
in  North  Carolina,  134,445;  in  Mississippi,  136,647;  in 
South  Carolina,  125,572;  and  in  Texas,  111,138  members. 
The  aggregate  is  1,348,989  members,  who  are  embraced  in 
12,533  organizations,  with  1 1,987  church  edifices,  valued  at 
$9,038,549.  There  are  416  associations,  of  which  66  are 
in  Alabama,  63  in  Georgia,  49  in  Mississippi,  40  in  North 
Carolina,  and  23  in  Virginia.  As  associations  generally 
conform  to  county  lines,  the  excess  of  associations  in 
Georgia  and  Alabama  over  Virginia  is  probably  chiefly  due 
to  the  greater  number  of  counties. 

The  average  seating  capacity  of  the  church  edifices  is 
287,  and  their  average  value  $754.  There  are  663  halls, 
etc.,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  45,520. 

While  some  of  the  Colored  Baptist  churches  are  very 
large,  particularly  in  the  cities,  there  are  many  weak  con- 
gregations in  the  rural  districts  which,  as  is  the  case  among 
the  smaller  white  churches,  do  not  have  regular  Sunday 
services  oftener  than  once  or  twice  a  month. 


30       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Alabama  

Organi- 
zations. 

1,774. 

Church 
Edifices. 

1,  7.  4.  i 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

376,830 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$7QC,384. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

14.2,4.77 

Arkansas  

Q23 

•*,J*M 
87O 

24.3,3Qi; 

c8c,Q4.7 

6^,786 

Dist.  of  Columbia 
Florida  

43 

33 

2QC 

18,600 

6i,?88 

383,150 
137,  C78 

12,717 
20,828 

Georgia  

1,818 

*7J 

1,  80O 

C/1y11C/i6 

I.O4.5,3IO 

200,1;  1  6 

Kentucky  

778 

7CQ 

IOQ.O3O 

4.06,04.0 

50,24.5 

Louisiana 

865 

86? 

I  Q  1  ,04.  1 

600,800 

68,008 

Maryland 

•34. 

12  ^80 

I  5O,4.7i» 

7,75O 

Mississippi 

1.381; 

1,777 

771,  i  ic 

682,^4.1 

/t/y 

130,04.7 

Missouri 

27A 

212 

6o.oitJ 

4.00,1;  18 

*j^>^"t/ 
18,613 

North  Carolina  . 
South  Carolina  . 
Tennessee 

1,173 
860 

c6o 

1,164 
836 

C7.4. 

>»    5 

362,946 

275,529 

I  sQ,  I4.O 

705,512 
699,961 
5IQ  021 

134,445 
125,572 
^2,183 

Texas 

5^y 

1,4.64. 

1^88 

282,<JQO 

664.,  2  86 

111*138 

Virginia 

I,OOI 

077 

358,032 

I,IQ2,O35 

100,871 

West  Virginia  .  . 

79 

50 

14,175 

59,ogo 

4,233 

Total 12,533  11,987  3,440,970  $9,038,549  1,348,989 


4. — GENERAL   SIX-PRINCIPLE   BAPTISTS. 

This  small  body  of  less  than  1000  members  is  repre- 
sented only  in  three  States.  Its  first  church  was  organized 
in  1670  in  Rhode  Island.  The  creed  is  formed  from  the 
first  and  second  verses  of  Chapter  VI.  of  the  Epistle  to  the 
Hebrews,  and  consists  of  six  principles:  i.  Repentance 
from  dead  works ;  2.  Faith  toward  God ;  3.  The  doctrine 
of  baptism;  4.  The  laying  on  of  hands;  5.  Resurrection 
of  the  dead;  6.  Eternal  judgment.  Hence  they  derive 
their  name. 

They  have  two  yearly  meetings :  one  in  Pennsylvania, 
and  one  in  Rhode  Island  and  Massachusetts.  There  are 
1 8  organizations,  1 2  of  which  are  in  Rhode  Island.  They 
occupy  4  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  400. 


THE  BAPTISTS.  31 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 

ri        •  n,       ,  Seating  Value  of  Com- 

STATBS.                              °rffanm-  g}.U£h                Ca.S  Church  muni. 

zauons.  Edifices.  packy  Property.  c^. 

Massachusetts I           . .  4 

Pennsylvania 5            3  1,300  $3,800  218 

Rhode  Island 12           n  2,300  15,700  715 


Total 18          14  3,600     $19,500 


5. — THE   SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS. 

Baptists  who  observed  the  seventh  day  of  the  week  as 
the  Sabbath  appeared  in  England  as  early  as  the  latter  part 
of  the  sixteenth  century,  and  were  known  as  Sabbatarian 
Baptists,  until  the  general  conference  of  the  body  in  the 
United  States  changed  the  name  in  1818.  The  first  Sev- 
enth-Day Baptist  church  in  this  country  was  organized  in 
Newport,  R.  I.,  in  1671,  by  Stephen  Mumford,  an  English 
Sabbatarian  Baptist.  From  this  Rhode  Island  church  the 
denomination  has  gradually  developed  in  the  United  States. 
As  early  as  1 700  Philadelphia  became  a  second  center  of  Sev- 
enth-Day Baptists,  and  soon  after  Piscataway,  N.  ].,  a  third. 

In  doctrine  the  Seventh- Day  Baptists  differ  from  other 
Baptist  bodies  only  concerning  the  observance  of  the  sev- 
enth day.  They  believe  that  the  seventh  day  is  the  Sab- 
bath of  the  Lord,  that  it  was  instituted  in  Eden,  promul- 
gated at  Sinai,  made  binding  upon  all  men  at  all  times,  and 
is  in  the  nature  of  its  relation  to  God  and  to  man  irrepeal- 
able.  They  hold  that  any  attempt  to  connect  the  Sabbath 
law  and  obligation  with  any  other  day  of  the  week  is  illog- 
ical and  tends  to  destroy  the  institution. 

The  Seventh-Day  Baptists  have  two  collegiate  institu- 


32       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

tions,  one  at  Milton,  Wis.,  the  other  at  Albert  Center,  N.  Y. 
Both  sexes  are  admitted  on  equal  terms  to  these  colleges. 
Albert  Center  is  also  the  headquarters  of  its  publishing 
interests. 

The  denomination  is  represented  in  twenty-four  States, 
having  106  organizations,  78  church  edifices,  valued  at 
$265,260,  and  9143  communicants.  The  average  seating 
capacity  of  the  edifices  is  285 ;  average  value,  $3401. 
Eighteen  halls,  etc.,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  1125,  are 
also  occupied. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Orga.ni- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Alabama  

I 

II 

Arkansas  

2 

I 

240 

$900 

60 

Connecticut  

2 

2 

600 

4,500 

103 

Florida  

I 

I 

200 

1,500 

Idaho     

I 

I 

200 

400 

28 

Illinois  

9 

6 

1,650 

8,825 

350 

Iowa  

3 

2 

500 

4,300 

169 

Kansas  

3 

I 

300 

3,500 

229 

Kentucky  

6 

Louisiana  

i 

36 

Minnesota  

5 

2 

500 

2,500 

246 

Mississippi  

i 

33 

Missouri  

i 

I 

2OO 

500 

Nebraska  

4 

2 

4OO 

267 

New  Jersey  

4 

5 

1,400 

55,285 

745 

New  York  

28 

24 

7,015 

71,025 

3,274 

North  Carolina  .... 

i 

10 

Ohio  

i 

i 

350 

3,000 

131 

Pennsylvania  

5 

4 

1,300 

5,800 

224 

Rhode  Island  

7 

7 

2,l62 

55,700 

1,271 

South  Dakota  

2 

i 

225 

1,000 

28 

Texas  

4 

50 

West  Virginia  

9 

8 

1,800 

15,900 

767 

Wisconsin  

10 

9 

2,425 

26,725 

1,078 

Total 


106  78       21,467  $265,260       9,143 


THE  BAPTISTS.  33 

6. — THE   FREEWILL   BAPTISTS. 

The  first  church  of  this  denomination  was  organized  by 
Benjamin  Randall  in  New  Durham,  N.  H.,  in  1786.  He 
was  at  first  a  Congregationalist.  Changing  his  views  on 
the  subject  of  baptism,  he  became  a  Baptist ;  but  he  did 
not  adhere  to  the  Calvinistic  doctrines  of  predestination, 
election,  limited  atonement,  and  final  perseverance  of  the 
saints,  as  generally  held  at  that  time  in  that  denomination. 
He  was  therefore  adjudged  unsound,  and  fellowship  was 
withdrawn  from  him  by  the  Baptists.  This  was  in  1779. 
In  1780  he  was  ordained  by  two  Baptist  ministers  who 
sympathized  with  his  doctrinal  views,  and  in  the  same  year 
the  first  Freewill  Baptist  church  was  organized,  as  already 
stated.  This  church  and  others  of  like  faith  which  sprung 
up  in  New  England  were  simply  called  Baptist  churches. 
At  the  close  of  the  century  the  distinctive  word  "  Freewill  " 
was  adopted,  members  having  been  popularly  designated 
"  Freewillers,"  in  allusion  to  the  doctrine  held  concerning 
the  freedom  of  the  will.  The  churches  multiplied.  At 
the  end  of  the  first  year  there  were  5,  at  the  close  of  the 
first  decade  18,  and  at  the  close  of  the  first  half-century 
450,  with  21,000  members.  The  denomination  was  grad- 
ually extended  beyond  the  bounds  of  New  England  into 
the  West.  Its  strong  antislavery  sentiment  prevented  its 
advance  into  the  South.  In  1835  the  general  conference, 
speaking  for  the  whole  body,  took  a  pronounced  position 
against  slavery.  In  1841  the  Free- Communion  Baptists 
of  New  York  united  with  the  Freewill  Baptists,  adding  55 
churches  and  2500  members.  The  body  lost  several  thou- 
sand members,  however,  by  the  Adventist  movement  and 
by  local  divisions.  It  had  60,000  in  1845,  Dut  m  l857  tms 


34       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

number  had  been  reduced  to  less  than  49,000.  Its  num- 
bers also  declined  during  the  war,  many  of  its  ministers 
and  members  going  into  the  army.  By  1870  it  had  recov- 
ered from  all  its  losses,  reporting  60,000  members  as  re- 
turned in  1845.  A  fact  deserving  mention  is  that  women 
began  to  labor  as  preachers  among  the  churches  as  early  as 
1 79 1 .  They  are  not  debarred  from  ordination. 

The  principles  of  doctrine  and  practice  held  by  the  Free- 
will Baptists  are  embodied  in  a  "  Treatise"  ordered  by  the 
general  conference  in  1832  and  published  in  1834  and  since 
revised.  The  doctrinal  chapters,  twenty-one  in  number, 
declare  (to  give  their  more  distinctive  statements)  that 
though  man  cannot  in  his  fallen  state  become  the  child  of 
God  by  natural  goodness  and  works  of  his  own,  redemp- 
tion and  regeneration  are  freely  provided  for  him.  The 
"  call  of  the  gospel  is  coextensive  with  the  atonement  to 
all  men,"  so  that  salvation  is  "equally  possible  to  all." 
The  "  truly  regenerate  "  are  "  through  infirmity  and  mani- 
fold temptations "  in  "  danger  of  falling,"  and  "  ought 
therefore  to  watch  and  pray,  lest  they  make  shipwreck  of 
faith."  Christian  baptism  is  immersion,  and  participation 
in  the  Lord's  Supper  is  the  "  privilege  and  duty  of  all  who 
have  spiritual  union  with  Christ,"  and  "  no  man  has  a  right 
to  forbid  these  tokens  to  the  least  of  his  disciples."  The 
denomination  has  always  advocated  open  communion,  as 
expressed  in  the  foregoing  sentence,  in  opposition  to  close 
communion,  which  is  the  rule  among  the  Regular  Baptists. 
In  the  brief  articles  of  faith  provided  for  churches  the 
"  human  will  "  is  declared  to  be  "  free  and  self-determined, 
having  power  to  yield  to  gracious  influences  and  live,  or 
resist  them  and  perish,"  and  the  doctrine  of  election  is  de- 
scribed, not  as  an  "  unconditional  decree  "  fixing  the  future 


THE  BAPTISTS.  35 

state  of  man,  but  simply  as  God's  determination  "  from  the 
beginning  to  save  all  who  should  comply  with  the  condi- 
tions of  salvation." 

The  Freewill  Baptists  have  quarterly  and  yearly  confer- 
ences, and  a  general  conference  meeting  once  in  two  years. 
The  quarterly  conference  consists  of  delegates  representing 
a  number  of  churches.  It  inquires  into  the  condition  of 
the  churches,  and  is  empowered  to  advise,  admonish,  or 
withdraw  fellowship  from  them.  It  may  not,  however, 
"  deprive  a  church  of  its  inpependent  form  of  government 
nor  its  right  to  discipline  its  members,  nor  labor  with  in- 
dividual members  of  churches  as  such  "  ;  it  may  only  deal 
with  the  churches  as  churches.  The  yearly  meeting  is 
composed  of  delegates  elected  by  quarterly  meetings.  It 
occupies  the  same  relation  to  quarterly  meetings  as  quar- 
terly meetings  do  to  the  churches.  The  general  confer- 
ence, which  is  charged  with  the  care  of  the  general  inter- 
ests of  the  denomination,  is  composed  of  delegates  from 
the  yearly  meetings.  It  may  discipline  yearly  meetings, 
but  not  quarterly  meetings  or  churches.  It  is  expressly 
forbidden  to  reverse  or  change  the  decisions  of  any  of  the 
subordinate  bodies.  Those  desiring  to  become  ministers 
are  licensed  for  a  year  by  the  quarterly  meeting  and  or- 
dained by  a  council  of  the  meeting.  Each  church,  besides 
its  pastor,  clerk,  and  treasurer,  has  a  board  of  deacons,  who 
assist  at  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  which  is  observed 
monthly,  have  the  care  of  the  poor,  and  conduct  religious 
meetings  in  the  absence  of  the  pastor. 

The  denomination  has  51  yearly  meetings  (some  are 
called  associations),  with  1586  organizations,  1225  edifices, 
valued  at  $3,115,642,  and  87,898  communicants.  It  also 
occupies  349  halls,  etc.,  having  a  seating  capacity  of  37,260. 


36       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 

It  is  represented  in  thirty-three  States,  chiefly  Northern 
and  Western.  It  is  strongest  in  New  England,  where  it 
originated.  In  Maine  there  are  16,294  members.  This  is 
the  banner  State  of  the  denomination. 

The  average  seating  capacity  of  the  churches  is  285,  and 
the  average  value  $2543. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Alabama  
Arkansas  

Organi- 
zations. 

15 
I 

Church 
Edifices. 

13 
I 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

3,  ico 

1OO 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$1,245 

2C,O 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

847 
4O 

California  

2 

2 

QOO 

IQ.COO 

170 

Connecticut  .... 
Florida  

2 
7 

2 

400 

2,2OO 

125 
22 

Illinois 

TTC 

g7 

IQ.72O 

71.  COO 

6,006 

Indiana  

*  *  J 
•31 

28 

8,075 

3Q.OOO 

1,926 

Iowa 

JC 

7.6 

Q  74O 

6c  800 

2,O2Q 

Kansas 

76 

II 

A    QOO 

12.421 

*»VM 

I  7OI 

Kentucky 

21 

17 

A   A  CO 

7.o8o 

I  641 

Louisiana 

4O 

2C 

487Q 

24.241 

I  OOO 

Maine 

280 

272 

67  Q7O 

184.71O 

1  6  2Q4 

Maryland  

3 

7 

121 

1,  800 

iu,^y4 
98 

Massachusetts  .  . 
Michigan  
Minnesota  
Mississippi 

20 
128 

30 

21 

o  to  «  >-i 

6,265 
29,145 
5,385 

7  880 

188,200 
277,275 

94,550 
7.14.O 

3,122 

5,435 
i,497 
i  7^0 

Missouri  . 

T08 

c6 

1C  72O 

/  fyr* 

10.821 

1,ojy 

4  712 

Nebraska  .    . 

4.7 

IO 

4  QOO 

20,6oo 

i  181 

New  Hampshire  . 
New  York  
North  Carolina  . 
Ohio     

94 
134 
i 
128 

89 

128 

1  07 

33,325 
36,727 
200 
70,641; 

379,000 
529,050 

100 
I4,Q,71O 

8,004 
8,636 
ii 
6  082 

Oklahoma  
Pennsylvania  .  .  . 
Rhode  Island  .  .  . 
South  Dakota  .  .  . 
Tennessee  

i 

% 

26 

5 

17 

40 
26 

4 

71 

9,695 
7,845 
700 

10,801 

76,300 
226,757 
11,500 
22,825 

100 

2,478 
3,252 
1  68 
2,864 

Texas  
Vermont 

4.7 

6 

7A 

887 

9.  1  IO 

3,300 

Q4,7,71 

261 

2  721 

Virginia  . 

9 

6 

1,721 

7.OOO 

^Jj-'O 
478 

West  Virginia  .  . 
Wisconsin  

% 

10 

4.2 

3,350 

10,1  i;o 

34,000 
04,400 

1,668 
i  683 

Total  .  . 

1.186   : 

[.22; 

34Q.3OQ       ! 

£7.111.64.2 

87,808 

THE  BAPTISTS.  37 

7. — THE   ORIGINAL   FREEWILL   BAPTISTS. 

In  the  first  half  of  the  eighteenth  century  a  number  of 
General  Baptist  churches  were  organized  in  North  Carolina. 
These,  with  some  which  had  been  formed  in  Virginia  a 
little  earlier,  constituted  an  association  in  1729.  Thirty 
years  later  many  of  these  General  had  become  Calvinistic 
or  Regular  Baptist  churches.  Those  who  did  not  unite 
with  the  Calvinistic  associations  were  popularly  called 
"  Freewillers,"  because  they  held  to  the  doctrine  of  the 
freedom  of  the  will.  Accepting  that  term,  they  became 
known  eventually  as  Original  Freewill  Baptists,  the  word 
"  original "  probably  referring  to  their  early  history. 

Their  doctrines  are  set  forth  in  a  confession  of  faith  con- 
sisting of  eighteen  articles.  It  declares  that  Christ  "  freely 
gave  himself  a  ransom  for  all,  tasting  death  for  every 
man";  that  God  wants  all  to  come  to  repentance;  that 
"  all  men,  at  one  time  or  another,  are  found  in  such  capac- 
ity as  that  through  the  grace  of  God  they  may  be  eternally 
saved";  that  those  "ordained  to  condemnation"  are  the 
ungodly  who  refuse  to  repent  and  believe  the  gospel; 
that  children  dying  in  infancy  are  not  subject  to  the 
second  death ;  that  God  has  not  "  decreed  any  person 
to  everlasting  death  or  everlasting  life  out  of  respect  or 
mere  choice,"  except  in  appointing  the  "  godly  unto  life 
and  the  ungodly  who  die  in  sin  unto  death  " ;  that  only 
believers  should  be  baptized,  and  the  only  baptism  is  im- 
mersion. They  believe  in  washing  the  saints'  feet  and  in 
anointing  the  sick  with  oil. 

The  churches  hold  for  business  purposes  quarterly  con- 
ferences, in  which  all  members  may  participate ;  they  have 
a  clerk,  a  treasurer,  deacons  who  prepare  for  the  commun- 
ion service  and  care  for  the  poor,  and  ruling  elders  to  settle 


38       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

controversies  between  brethren.  Communion  and  feet- 
washing  are  as  a  rule  held  quarterly.  Members  of  churches 
are  forbidden  to  frequent  the  "  race-track,  the  card-table, 
shooting- matches,  or  any  other  place  of  disorder."  In 
church  trials  it  is  provided  that  "  no  person  of  color  within 
the  pale  of  the  church  shall  give  testimony  against  any 
person  "  except  one  "  of  color."  Only  male  members  shall 
occupy  the  offices  of  the  church.  Annual  conferences, 
composed  of  all  the  elders  (pastors),  ministers  (ordained), 
and  preachers  (licentiates)  in  good  standing,  and  of  dele- 
gates from  the  churches,  have  power  to  "  silence  "  preach- 
ers, try  and  disown  or  discontinue  elders,  receive  new 
churches,  and  settle  difficulties  in  churches. 

There  are  three  conferences,  with  churches  in  the  two 
Carolinas.  The  number  of  organizations  is  167,  with  125 
church  edifices,  valued  at  $57,005,  and  11,864  communi- 
cants. The  average  seating  capacity  of  the  edifices  is  331, 
and  their  average  value  $455.  Forty-three  halls,  etc.,  af- 
ford seating  capacity  for  4650  persons. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 

n-o-o.,;       r-K,,«.i,         Seating         Value  of  Com- 

STATES.  2Zt     SfiJi  Ca-  Church  muni- 

zattons.     Edifices.       padty  Property.  cants. 

North  Carolina 133         99       35,75°      $52,355      10,224 

South  Carolina 34         26         5,650  4,650        1,640 

Total 167        125       41,400      $57,005      11,864 

8. — THE   GENERAL   BAPTISTS. 

The  General  Baptists  are  thus  distinguished  because 
originally  they  differed  from  the  Particular  or  Regular 
Baptists  in  holding  that  the  atonement  of  Christ  was  gen- 
eral, not  particular;  that  is,  for  the  whole  race,  and  not 


THE  BAPTISTS.  39 

simply  for  those  effectually  called.  There  were  General 
Baptists  in  England  early  in  the  seventeenth  century. 
Indeed,  some  of  their  historians  claim  that  they  appeared 
both  in  England  and  America  before  the  Particular  or 
Regular  Baptists. 

General  Baptists  in  New  England  associated  themselves 
in  a  yearly  meeting  at  the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth 
century.  Churches  of  the  same  faith  and  order  were  also 
organized  in  the  first  half  of  that  century  in  Maryland, 
Virginia,  and  the  Carolinas.  Most  of  these  early  churches, 
it  appears,  subsequently  became  Regular  or  Calvinistic 
churches. 

The  first  association  of  General  Baptists  in  the  West, 
where  the  denomination  now  has  its  entire  strength,  was 
the  Liberty,  of  Kentucky,  organized  in  1824.  In  1830  it 
adopted  the  practice  of  open  communion,  and  about  1845 
changed  one  of  its  articles  of  belief,  which  had  been  form- 
ulated at  its  organization,  so  as  to  embrace  "  infants  and 
idiots"  in  the  covenants  of  God's  grace,  and  another  so 
as  to  say  that  "  he  that  shall  endure  to  the  end,  the  same 
shall  be  saved,"  instead  of  declaring  that  "  the  saints  will 
finally  persevere  through  grace  to  glory."  These  changes 
indicated  the  desire  to  eliminate  such  elements  of  Calvin- 
ism as  had  been  introduced  when  the  articles  were  adopted 
a  few  years  before. 

In  1870  the  General  Baptists  formed  a  general  associa- 
tion, in  which  all  General  Baptist  associations  are  repre- 
sented. The  purpose  of  the  general  association  was  to 
bring  "  into  more  intimate  and  fraternal  relation  and  effect- 
ive cooperation  various  bodies  of  liberal  Baptists."  The 
denomination  has  received  accessions  of  Freewill  churches, 
but  some  of  its  churches  have  in  turn  joined  Freewill  and 


4O       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

other  Baptist  bodies.  It  has  increased  in  membership 
quite  rapidly.  In  1870  it  had  8000  members;  in  1880, 
12,367;  and  in  1890,  21,362.  It  is  represented  in  the 
States  of  Indiana,  Illinois,  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Missouri, 
Arkansas,  and  Nebraska. 

The  confession  of  faith  adopted  by  the  general  associa- 
tion declares  that  the  Bible  is  the  only  rule  of  faith  and 
practice ;  that  there  is  one  God,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and 
the  Holy  Ghost;  that  man  is  "fallen  and  depraved"  and 
has  no  ability  in  himself  to  salvation ;  that  he  that  endures 
to  the  end  shall  be  saved ;  that  rewards  and  punishment 
are  eternal ;  that  the  only  proper  mode  of  baptism  is  im- 
mersion; that  the  only  proper  subjects  of  baptism  are 
believers;  that  none  save  infants  and  idiots  can  partake 
of  the  benefits  of  the  atonement,  which  was  made  for  all, 
except  by  repentance  and  faith.  They  are  in  substantial 
agreement  with  the  Freewill  Baptists. 

The  General  Baptists  have  22  associations,  399  organi- 
zations, 209  edifices,  valued  at  $201,140,  and  21,362  com- 
municants. The  average  seating  capacity  of  the  edifices 
is  344,  and  their  average  value  $964.  There  are  1 80  halls, 
etc.,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  28,201. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


r»  r-i.      i.     oeanne  Value  of  Com- 

STATES.                     °/?ani-  SS££        Ca-  Church  muni- 

zations.  Edifices.     padty  Property.  cants. 

Arkansas 33  4       2,000  $1*565  1*217 

Illinois 41  30       8,400  12,125  2,605 

Indiana 64  59     22,800  135,425  5,351 

Kentucky 68  27      10,125  20,950  4,455 

Missouri 166  70     21,025  22,675  6,654 

Nebraska 5         72 

Tennessee 22  19       7,500  8,400  1,008 

Total 399  209     71,850  $201,140  21,362 


THE  BAPTISTS.  41 

9. — THE    SEPARATE   BAPTISTS. 

The  Separate  Baptists  of  the  last  century  were  those 
who  favored  the  great  Whitefield  revival  movement. 
They  separated  from  those  Baptists  who,  for  various  rea- 
sons, opposed  the  revival.  They  had  considerable  acces- 
sions from  the  Congregational  churches,  and  became  nu- 
merous in  New  England,  Virginia,  and  elsewhere.  Most  of 
these  Separate  Baptists  formed  a  union  with  the  Regular 
Baptists  a  century  or  more  ago,  but  a  few  still  maintain 
separate  organizations.  Two  associations  which  retain  the 
word  "  Separate "  in  their  title  are  counted  as  Regular 
Baptists. 

Separate  Baptists  are  generally  in  doctrinal  agreement 
with  the  Freewill  Baptists,  holding  to  a  general  atonement 
and  rejecting  the  doctrine  of  election  and  reprobation. 

There  is  one  association,  with  24  organizations,  19  church 
edifices,  valued  at  $9200,  and  1599  communicants.  The 
average  seating  capacity  of  the  edifices  is  297,  and  their 
average  value  $484.  There  are  5  halls,  etc.,  with  a  seat- 
ing capacity  of  525. 

SUMMARY. 

c\        •     m,      i.       Seating         Value  of  Cow- 

2ar  iS.  ^  ^    sr 

Indiana 24        19        5,650      $9,200        i>599 


10. — THE   UNITED   BAPTISTS. 

There  being  in  Congregational  and  Baptist  churches  in 
New  England  some  opposition  to  the  great  revival  move- 
ment of  the  eighteenth  century  led  by  George  Whitefield, 
a  separation  occurred  in  many  instances,  and  there  were 


42       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 

"  Separates  "  both  among  the  Congregationalists  and  Bap- 
tists. The  latter  were  called  Separate  Baptists,  and  those 
from  whom  they  separated  were  called,  by  way  of  distinc- 
tion, Regular  Baptists,  a  name  which  they  still  retain.  The 
Separate  Baptists  became  quite  numerous  in  New  England 
(where  many  of  those  who  separated  from  the  Congrega- 
tional churches  united  with  them)  and  elsewhere.  But  in 
the  last  quarter  of  the  eighteenth  century  and  the  begin- 
ning of  the  present,  Separate  and  Regular  Baptists  came 
together  in  Virginia,  Kentucky,  and  elsewhere,  and  called 
themselves  United  Baptists.  The  great  body  of  these  are 
now  known  as  Regular  or  Missionary  Baptists. 

There  are  still  a  few  United  Baptists  who  retain  the  old 
title  and  an  independent  existence.  These  are  tabulated 
herewith  separately.  A  few  associations  in  full  fellowship 
with  the  Regular  Baptists  still  use  the  word  "  United." 
The  doctrinal  basis  on  which  the  union  of  Separate  and 
Regular  Baptists  was  accomplished  in  Kentucky  in  1801 
was  not  distinctly  Calvinistic.  While  it  did  declare  the 
final  perseverance  of  the  saints,  it  did  not  set  forth  election 
or  reprobation,  and  it  stipulated  that  the  holding  of  the 
doctrine  that  "  Christ  tasted  death  for  every  man  "  (gen- 
eral atonement)  should  be  "no  bar  to  communion."  The 
United  Baptists,  according  to  the  articles  of  faith  set  forth 
by  most  of  their  associations,  are  now  moderately  Calvin- 
istic. These  articles  declare  that  Christ  "  suffered  and  died 
to  make  atonement  for  sin,"  not  indicating  whether  this 
atonement  was  general  or  particular ;  that  though  the  gos- 
pel is  to  be  preached  to  all  nations,  and  sinners  are  to  be 
called  upon  to  repent,  such  is  their  opposition  to  the  gospel 
that  they  freely  choose  a  state  of  sin;  that  God  in  his 
"  mere  good  pleasure  "  elected  or  chose  in  Christ  a  great 


THE  BAPTISTS. 


43 


multitude  among  all  nations ;  that  through  the  influences 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  he  "  effectually  calls  them,"  and  they 
"  freely  choose  Christ  for  their  Saviour  "  ;  that  those  who 
are  united  to  God  by  a  living  faith  are  forgiven  and  justi- 
fied "solely  on  account  of  the  merits  of  Christ";  that 
those  who  are  justified  and  regenerated  will  persevere 
to  the  end;  that  baptism  should  be  administered  only 
to  believers  and  by  immersion;  that  the  Lord's  Supper 
should  be  "  observed  by  those  who  have  been  regenerated, 
regularly  baptized,  and  become  members  of  a  gospel 
church  "  ;  that  feet- washing  ought  to  be  practiced  by  all 
baptized  believers. 

There  are  12  associations  of  United  Baptists,  with  204 
organizations,  179  church  edifices,  valued  at  $80,150,  and 
13,209  communicants.  The  average  seating  capacity  of 
the  churches  is  336,  and  their  average  value  $448.  Halls, 
etc.,  23,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  3650. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Alabama . . 
Arkansas  . 
Kentucky  . 
Missouri  . . 
Tennessee 

Total. 


Organi- 


15 

81 


:hurch 

?  J'C     -j, 

Searing 
Ca- 

Value of 
Church 

Com- 
muni- 

ixiinces. 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

15 

4,000 

$5,900 

702 

I,OOO 

925 

146 

78 

29,850 

39,750 

6,443 

32 

11,920 

15,975 

2,738 

51 

12,550 

17,600 

3,180 

£ 


204       179      60,220    $80,150     13,209 


II. — THE  BAPTIST   CHURCH   OF  CHRIST. 

This  body  holds  a  separate  position  among  Baptists.  Its 
oldest  associations,  the  Elk  River  and  Duck  River,  were 
organized  in  1808  in  Tennessee,  where  more  than  half  of 


44 


RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


the  communicants  reported  are  to  be  found.  Its  articles 
of  faith  set  forth  a  mild  form  of  Calvinism,  with  a  general 
atonement.  They  declare  that  Christ  "  tasted  death  for 
every  man  "  and  made  it  possible  for  God  to  have  mercy 
upon  all  who  come  unto  him  on  gospel  terms ;  that  sinners 
are  justified  by  faith ;  that  the  saints  will  persevere ;  that 
true  believers  are  the  only  proper  subjects  of  baptism; 
that  immersion  is  the  only  proper  baptism ;  and  that  bap- 
tism, the  Lord's  Supper,  and  feet-washing  are  ordinances 
of  the  gospel  to  be  continued  until  Christ's  second  coming. 
This  body  claims  to  be  the  oldest  body  of  Baptists,  and 
that  there  were  no  others  in  Tennessee  until  1825,  when 
the  Two- Seed  churches  came  into  existence  as  the  result 
of  what  is  known  as  the  Antinomian  Controversy. 

There  are  152  organizations,  135  church  edifices,  val- 
ued at  $56,755,  and  8254  communicants.  Of  the  latter, 
5065  are  in  Tennessee ;  the  rest  are  divided  between  Ala- 
bama, Arkansas,  Mississippi,  Missouri,  North  Carolina,  and 
Texas.  The  average  seating  capacity  of  the  edifices  is 
304,  and  their  average  value  $422.  Seventeen  halls,  etc., 
are  occupied  as  places  of  worship.  They  have  a  seating 
capacity  of  1275. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Organi-       Church 
zations.       Edifices. 


Alabama 

Arkansas 

Mississippi 

Missouri 

North  Carolina  . . . 

Tennessee 

Texas  . 


18 

27 

8 


69 
10 


18 

18 
8 

2 

16 

69 

3 


Searing 

Value  of 

Ca- 

Church 

pacity. 

Property. 

4,800 

$5,200 

4,700 

7,800 

2,400 

4,950 

435 

900 

4,600 

5,400 

22,950 

31,355 

1,000 

1,150 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

782 
887 
368 
I85 
659 
5,065 
308 


Total 


152        135       40,885     $56,755       8,254 


THE  BAPTISTS.  45 

12. — THE   PRIMITIVE   BAPTISTS. 

Those  who  are  variously  known  as  "  Primitive,"  "  Old 
School,"  "  Regular,"  and  "Anti-Mission  "  Baptists  are  so 
called  because  of  their  opposition,  begun  more  than  fifty 
years  ago,  to  the  establishment  of  Sunday-schools,  mission, 
Bible,  and  other  societies,  which  they  regard  as  modern 
and  human  institutions  unwarranted  by  the  Scriptures  and 
unnecessary. 

Opposition  among  Baptists  to  the  missionary  and  other 
church  societies  was  manifested  some  years  before  the 
division  began.  In  1835  the  Chemung  Association,  hav- 
ing churches  in  New  York  and  Pennsylvania,  adopted  a 
resolution  declaring  that  as  a  number  of  associations  with 
which  it  had  been  in  correspondence  had  "  departed  from 
the  simplicity  of  the  doctrine  and  practice  of  the  gospel  of 
Christ,"  "  uniting  themselves  with  the  world  and  what  are 
falsely  called  benevolent  societies  founded  upon  a  monied 
basis,"  and  preaching  a  gospel  "  differing  from  the  gospel 
of  Christ,"  it  would  not  continue  in  fellowship  with  them. 
It  urged  all  Baptists  who  could  not  approve  the  new  ideas 
to  come  out  and  be  separate  from  those  holding  them. 
The  Baltimore  (Md.)  Association  made  a  similar  declara- 
tion in  1836,  and  a  gradual  separation  was  the  result.  The 
Warwick  Association  of  New  York  issued  a  circular  letter 
in  1 840,  which  shows  that  a  warm  controversy  was  then  in 
progress.  This  letter,  which  was  written  in  behalf  of  the 
"  new  ideas, V  charged  the  Primitive  brethren  with  holding 
hyper- Calvinistic  doctrines,  and  insisted  that  their  predes- 
tinarianism  was  such  as  practically  to  deny  any  responsi- 
bility in  man  for  his  conduct  or  condition.  It  attributed 
to  them  statements  to  the  effect  that  God  carries  on  his 


46       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 

work  "  without  the  least  instrumentality  whatever,"  and 
that  "  all  the  preaching  from  John  the  Baptist  until  now, 
if  made  to  bear  on  one  unregenerated  sinner,"  could  not 
"quicken  his  poor  dead  soul."  The  Primitive  Baptists  do 
not  oppose  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  but  believe  that 
God  will  convert  the  world  in  his  own  way  and  own  good 
time  without  the  aid  of  missionary  societies. 

Primitive  Baptist  associations  generally  print  in  their  an- 
nual minutes  articles  of  faith,  a  form  of  constitution,  and  rules 
of  order.  The  articles  of  faith,  while  practically  the  same 
in  doctrinal  view,  vary  in  length  and  phraseology.  Some 
of  them  have  eleven  articles,  some  less,  some  more.  They 
declare  that  by  Adam's  fall  or  transgression  "  all  his 
posterity  became  sinners  in  the  sight  of  God  " ;  that  the 
"  corruption  of  human  nature  "  is  such  that  man  cannot  by 
his  own  free  will  and  ability  "  reinstate  himself  in  the  favor 
of  God  "  ;  that  "  God  elected,  or  chose,  his  people  in  Christ 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world" ;  that  sinners  are  jus- 
tified "  only  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  imputed  to 
them  "  ;  that  the  saints  will  finally  persevere  and  "  not  one 
of  them  will  ever  be  finally  lost " ;  that  "  baptism,  the 
Lord's  Supper,  and  washing  the  saints'  feet  are  ordinances 
of  the  gospel  and  should  be  continued  until  Christ's  second 
coming";  that  "the  institutions  of  the  day  [church  soci- 
eties] are  the  works  of  man  "  ;  that  it  is  therefore  "  wrong 
to  join  them,"  and  that  no  fellowship  should  be  had  with 
them.  An  article  of  the  constitution  declines  "  fellowship 
with  any  church  or  churches  "  which  support  any  "  mis- 
sionary, Bible,  tract,  or  Sunday-school  union  society  or 
advocates  State  conventions  or  theological  schools,"  or 
"  any  other  society  "  formed  "  under  the  pretense  of  cir- 


THE  BAPTISTS.  47 

culating  the  gospel  of  Christ."  The  Primitive  Baptists 
have  no  State  conventions  or  theological  seminaries.  They 
acknowledge  no  other  mode  of  baptism  than  immersion, 
and  insist  that  only  believers  are  proper  subjects  of  it,  that 
it  is  a  prerequisite  to  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  that  no  min- 
ister has  a  right  to  administer  the  ordinances  unless  he 
has  been  "  called  of  God,"  "  come  under  the  imposition  of 
hands  by  a  presbytery,"  and  is  "  in  fellowship  with  the 
church  of  which  he  is  a  member." 

The  denomination  is  represented  in  twenty- eight  States 
and  the  District  of  Columbia.  Its  strongholds  are :  Geor- 
gia, 18,535;  Alabama,  14,903;  Tennessee,  13,972;  North 
Carolina,  11,740;  and  Kentucky,  10,665.  It  has  little 
strength  in  any  Northern  State  except  Indiana  and  Illinois. 
The  total  of  members  is  121,347.  There  are  3222  organi- 
zations which  have  2849  edifices,  with  a  seating  capacity 
of  899,27$  and  a  value  of  $1,649,851.  The  average  seat- 
ing capacity  is  312  and  the  average  value  $580. 

According  to  the  Baptist  Almanac  of  1844,  there  were 
in  that  year  184  Primitive  Baptist  associations,  with  1622 
churches,  900  ordained  ministers,  and  61,162  members. 
If  these  returns  were  correct  they  have  gained  since  that 
date  1600  churches  and  about  60,000  members.  While 
their  associations  usually  print  annual  minutes,  which  give 
statistics  of  membership  and  number  of  churches,  no  gen- 
eral returns  for  the  denomination  are  published.  For  many 
years  its  membership  has  been  estimated  at  45,000  by 
statisticians  of  other  churches.  The  census  tables  show 
that  this  estimate  was  wide  of  the  mark.  There  are  279 
associations,  of  which  1 5  are  colored.  Colored  members 
are  not  numerous. 


48       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Organi- 
zations. 

360 
121 
6 
2 

Church 
Edifices 

325 

93 
7 

Seating 
1     parity. 

105,076 
21,708 
1,550 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$125,364 
29,032 
19,000 

67 

65 

15,820 

27,525 

483 

475 

168,935 

210,455 

160 

132 

40,100 

93,100 

144 

128 

50,024 

123,550 

34 

IS 

5>300 

9,950 

19 

7 

2,300 

10,100 

225 

208 

60,580 

151,425 

43 

42 

14,775 

18,955 

3 

3 

625 

3,300 

16 

15 

3,325 

27,950 

i 

i 

150 

5,500 

109 

104 

26,62O 

38,600 

129 

93 

28,250 

83,975 

2 

i 

300 

800 

4 

4 

1,400 

8,000 

31 

26 

8,700 

84,700 

3'i 

294 

89,800 

129,695 

139 

138 

40,285 

123,190 

IS 

10 

3.420 

14,100 

23 

23 

5,750 

7,050 

316 

290 

97,165 

H7,455 

156 

91 

27,220 

34,675 

234 

191 

62,195 

93,205 

65 

64 

16,700 

24,700 

4 

4 

1,200 

4,50° 

Com- 


Alabama 

Arkansas 

Delaware 

District  of  Columbia 

Florida 

Georgia 

Illinois 

Indiana 

Iowa 

Kansas 

Kentucky 

Louisiana    

Maine 

Maryland 

Massachusetts 

Mississippi 

Missouri 

Nebraska 

New  Jersey 

New  York 

North  Carolina  .... 

Ohio 

Pennsylvania 

South  Carolina 

Tennessee 

Texas  

Virginia 

West  Virginia 

Wisconsin . . 


Total 3,222   2,849  899,273  $1,649,851    121,347 


13. — THE   OLD  TWO-SEED-IN-THE-SPIRIT  PREDESTI- 
NARIAN   BAPTISTS. 

These  are  very  conservative  Baptists,  who  are  not  in 
fellowship  with  the  Regular  or  Missionary,  nor  with  the 
Primitive  or  any  other  body  of  Baptists.  They  are  strongly 
Calvinistic,  holding  firmly  to  the  doctrine  of  predestination, 


THE  BAPTISTS.  49 

as  their  name  indicates.  The  phrase  "  Two  Seed  "  is  un- 
derstood to  indicate  their  belief  that  there  are  two  seeds 
— one  of  -evil  and  one  of  good.  This  doctrine  is  generally 
accredited  to  Elder  Daniel  Parker,  a  native  of  Virginia, 
who  was  ordained  in  Tennessee  in  1806,  and  labored  in 
that  State  till  1817,  in  Illinois  till  1836,  and  then  in  Texas, 
where  he  died.  He  published  in  1826  a  pamphlet  which 
set  forth  the  two-seed  doctrine,  and  in  1829  another,  en- 
titled "  Second  Dose  of  the  Doctrine  of  Two  Seeds."  The 
following  explanation  of  the  doctrine  has  been  given  by  a 
writer  who  had  access  to  the  pamphlets  and  other  writings 
relating  to  it : 

"  The  essence  of  good  is  God ;  the  essence  of  evil  is  the 
devil.  Good  angels  are  emanations  from  or  particles  of 
God;  evil  angels  are  particles  of  the  devil.  When  God 
created  Adam  and  Eve  they  were  endowed  with  an  ema- 
nation from  himself,  or  particles  of  God  were  included  in 
their  constitution.  They  were  wholly  good.  Satan,  how- 
ever, infused  into  them  particles  of  his  essence,  by  which 
they  were  corrupted.  In  the  beginning  God  had  appointed 
that  Eve  should  bring  forth  only  a  certain  number  of  off- 
spring ;  the  same  provision  applied  to  each  of  her  daughters. 
But  when  the  particles  of  evil  essence  had  been  infused 
by  Satan,  the  conception  of  Eve  and  of  her  daughters  was 
increased.  They  were  now  required  to  bear  the  original 
number,  who  were  styled  the  seed  of  God,  and  an  addi- 
tional number,  who  were  called  the  seed  of  the  serpent. 

"  The  seed  of  God  constituted  a  part  of  the  body  of 
Christ  For  them  the  atonement  was  absolute;  they 
would  all  be  saved.  The  seed  of  the  serpent  did  not  par- 
take of  the  benefits  of  the  atonement,  and  would  all  be  lost. 
All  the  manifestations  of  good  or  evil  in  men  are  but  dis- 


50       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

plays  of  the  essence  that  has  been  infused  into  them.    The 
Christian  warfare  is  a  conflict  between  these  essences." 

Not  all  the  associations  accept  the  peculiar  title  given 
above.  Some  call  themselves  simply  "  Regular,"  others, 
"  Regular  Predestinarian,"  and  still  others,  "  Regular  Two- 
Seed  Predestinarian  Primitive  Baptists."  Their  articles  of 
faith  also  vary  in  phraseology.  One  set  is  quite  brief, 
having  only  ten  articles;  another  is  more  extended  and 
embraces  twelve  articles.  The  latter  declares  that  God 
is  the  Creator  of  all  things  and  governs  all  things  in 
righteousness ;  that  man  was  created  holy,  but  by  sin  fell 
into  a  depraved  state,  from  which  he  is  utterly  unable  to 
extricate  himself;  that  God's  elect  were  chosen  in  Christ 
before  the  world  began,  and  "  appointed  to  faith  and 
obedience  in  love  "  by  the  Spirit  of  God  because  of  the 
"  righteousness,  life,  death,  resurrection,  and  ascension  "  of 
Christ;  that  God's  elect  will  in  due  time  be  effectually 
called  and  regenerated,  the  righteousness  of  God  being 
imputed  to  them ;  that  they  will  never  finally  fall  away ; 
that  good  works  are  the  fruits  of  faith  and  grace  in  the 
heart  and  follow  after  regeneration ;  that  ministers  should 
receive  "  legal  authority  "  through  the  imposition  of  the 
hands  of  a  presbytery  acting  for  a  gospel  church,  and 
should  be  subject  to  the  discipline  of  the  church ;  that  the 
"  eternal  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  "  is  manifested  externally 
as  well  as  internally,  in  experimental  religion  and  the  call 
to  the  ministry,  and  the  true  church  should  distinguish 
itself  from  all  "  false  sects,"  and  have  no  fellowship  with 
them ;  that  the  church  is  a  spiritual  kingdom  which  men 
in  a  state  of  nature  cannot  see,  and  it  should  therefore  re- 
ceive as  members  only  those  who  have  hope  in  Christ  and 


THE  BAPTISTS.  51 

an  experimental  knowledge  of  salvation;  that  the  ceremony 
of  feet- washing  ought  to  be  observed,  and  that  the  joys  of 
the  righteous  and  the  punishment  of  the  wicked  will  be 
endless. 

Two- Seed  Predestinarian  Baptists  differ  from  Primitive 
Baptists  concerning  the  doctrine  of  Predestination.  The 
former  hold,  according  to  the  statements  of  one  of  their 
prominent  elders,  that  God  predestined  all  his  children  to 
eternal  life,  and  the  devil  and  all  his  spiritual  children  to 
the  eternal  kingdom  of  darkness ;  that  he  foreordained  all 
events  whatever,  from  the  creation  to  the  consummation 
of  all  things,  not  suffering,  in  his  infinite  wisdom  and  per- 
fect knowledge,  anything  to  occur  to  change  his  plans. 
The  Primitive  Baptists  hold,  as  explained  by  the  same 
authority,  that  while  God  predestined  some  to  eternal  life, 
his  predestination  did  not  extend  absolutely  to  all  things, 
for  this  doctrine  would,  they  insist,  blasphemously  impute 
to  the  Almighty  the  existence  of  evil,  and  do  away  with 
sin  and  human  accountability.  Some  of  the  Old  Two- 
Seed  Baptists  claim  Peter  Waldo,  John  Calvin,  Wyclif, 
Knox,  and  Bunyan  as  "  elders  "  who  held  the  true  faith  as 
to  the  two  seeds,  and  say  that  Arminius  was  the  great  cor- 
rupter  of  sound  doctrine  on  this  subject. 

Many  of  the  Two-Seed  Baptists  are  strongly  opposed 
to  a  paid  ministry.  They  hold  that  the  calling  of  the  min- 
istry is  "to  comfort  Zion,  feed  the  flock,  and  contend 
earnestly  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints."  They 
are  antinomians,  and  do  not  believe  that  the  help  of  a  min- 
ister is  needed  by  the  Saviour  to  reach  and  save  sinners. 
He  is  a  full  and  complete  Saviour  and  carries  on  the  work 
of  salvation  without  the  help  of  men.  "  Modern  insti- 


52       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


tutions,"  such  as  Sunday-schools,  theological  seminaries, 
Bible  and  missionary  societies,  are  regarded  with  marked 
disfavor,  as  among  the  Primitive  Baptists. 

There  are  50  associations,  with  473  organizations,  397 
church  edifices,  valued  at  $172,230,  and  12,851  commu- 
nicants. Though  the  communicants  are  scattered  over 
twenty-four  States,  they  are  most  numerous  in  Texas, 
Tennessee,  Kentucky,  Mississippi,  and  Arkansas.  The 
average  seating  capacity  of  the  edifices  is  339,  and  the 
average  value  $434.  There  are  75  halls,  etc.,  with  a  seat- 
ing capacity  of  5285. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Alabama 24 

Arkansas 62 

Florida 4 

Georgia 18 

Idaho 2 

Illinois 3 

Indiana 14 

Iowa I 

Kansas 8 

Kentucky 58 

Louisiana 10 

Maine 3 

Mississippi 26 

Missouri 32 

New  York 3 

North  Carolina 9 

Ohio I 

Oregon 15 

Pennsylvania 
Tennessee  . . 

Texas  

Virginia  .... 
Washington 


Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

24 

4,900 

$7,050 

538 

58 

24,880 

30,800 

1,230 

4 

800 

400 

39 

18 

4,900 

4,950 

330 

2 

550 

700 

61 

I 

2OO 

800 

51 

14 

5,000 

6,700 

346 

IO 

2 

"500 

600 

162 

58 

21,700 

29,450 

2,401 

IO 

2,050 

1,900 

170 

3 

1,000 

1,400 

US 

26 

6,800 

10,250 

840 

23 

7,900 

9,050 

668 

3 

1,300 

1,900 

96 

3 

850 

680 

183 

i 

300 

400 

33 

2 

1,400 

1,800 

194 

5 

4,900 

4,000 

264 

36 

13,900 

16,800 

1,270 

82 

23,075 

31,650 

2,831 

2 

675 

1,050 

142 

I 

150 

400 

7i 

19 

7,000 

9,500 

806 

5 

••       37 
. .     101 

7 

West  Virginia 25 

Total 473        397     *34,73O     $172,230    12,851 


THE  BAPTISTS. 


53 


The  following  table  gives  a  summary  of  all  Baptist  bodies. 
The  returns  in  one  or  two  cases  are  somewhat  fuller  than 
those  of  the  census. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES  OF  ALL  BAPTIST  BODIES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 

Value of 
Church 

Com- 
muni- 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

Alabama  

3,302 

3,109 

906,734 

$2,110,362 

258,405 

Arizona  

6 

4 

875 

11,200 

197 

Arkansas  

2,279 

1,780 

518,813 

I,O66,IO4 

128,724 

California  

165 

123 

34,925 

763,860 

H,383 

Colorado  

54 

40 

io,935 

440,OOO 

4,944 

Connecticut  .... 

139 

142 

48,280 

1,656,750 

22,600 

Delaware  

19 

23 

6,332 

184,300 

2,006 

District    of    Co- 

lumbia   

63 

51 

26,500 

914,150 

19,372 

Florida  

807 

699 

151,843 

375,936 

41,647 

Georgia  

3,966 

3,895 

1,237,431 

3,109,390 

357,241 

Idaho  

23 

13 

2,930 

27,200 

745 

Illinois  

1,324 

I,l63 

352,133 

3,681,360 

109,640 

Indiana  

829 

763 

255,604 

1,627,297 

70,380 

Indian  Territory 

181 

1  10 

18,485 

35,765 

9,H7 

Iowa  

500 

393 

104,771 

1,242,690 

33,962 

Kansas  

617 

364 

95,715 

921,958 

34,665 

Kentucky  

2,273 

2,024 

662,455 

3,020,742 

229,524 

Louisiana  

1,441 

i,376 

321,426 

988,967 

98,552 

Maine  

523 

461 

131,224 

1,511,000 

35,463 

Maryland  

104 

100 

37,659 

831,275 

16,238 

Massachusetts  .  . 

340 

364 

149,004 

6,3OI,53° 

62,966 

Michigan  

523 

466 

130,680 

2,135,694 

39,58o 

Minnesota  

229 

187 

46,460 

1,204,889 

16,441 

Mississippi  

2,679 

2,562 

734,i85 

1,433,332 

224,801 

Missouri  

2,355 

!,755 

536,240 

2,980,316 

159,371 

Montana  

H 

ii 

2,950 

89,000 

683 

Nebraska  

284 

1  86 

42,280 

549,010 

13,481 

Nevada  

9 

i 

500 

7,000 

63 

New  Hampshire 

179 

1  86 

61,635 

964,050 

16,772 

New  Jersey  

232 

261 

97,375 

3,020,913 

39,760 

New  Mexico  .... 
New  York. 

15 

1,071 

4 
1,079 

1,250 
363,323 

22,000 
13,625,588 

355 
142,736 

North  Carolina  . 

3,124 

3,048 

1,098,084 

2,556,147 

310,920 

North  Dakota  .  . 

54 

33 

7,665 

90,300 

2,298 

Ohio  

885 

828 

240,415 

2,819,828 

69,093 

Oklahoma  

i 

316 

54       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES  OF  ALL  BAPTIST  BODIES.— Continued. 


STATES. 

Oregon  

Organi- 
zations. 

123 

Church 
Edifices. 

71 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

I  q,  I4.O 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$•210,121: 

Com- 
muni" 
cants. 

5  .COO 

Pennsylvania  .  .  . 
Rhode  Island  .  .  . 
South  Carolina.  . 
South  Dakota  .. 
Tennessee 

720 

"3 
1,676 
90 

2,4.13 

704 
117 
1,633 
59 

2   IQ3 

240,204 
4I,OOO 
521,009 
12,236 
72O  8  II 

*rj*y>  >-*3 
6,088,322 

1,450,117 
1,606,385 

239,675 
2.C66,  ^73 

86,620 
17,293 
203,959 
4,052 
186.174. 

Texas 

*»**J 

A   OO  I 

*»*yj 

2  CCT 

667  1  2O 

2  IIQ,OQ6 

24.8.  £23 

Utah  

4. 

•*>jj* 
3 

7OO 

65,OOO 

327 

Vermont 

IA  -3 

137 

•27.27A 

678  87? 

n.2t;8 

Virginia  

•*J 

2,038 

AJ/ 
1,0.38 

680,600 

9,1(2*  $82 

303,134 

Washington  
West  Virginia  .  . 
Wisconsin  

& 

2C4 

485 
2^i; 

12,600 
I4O,22O 
IJQ,QO6 

242,160 

552,365 
064,1570 

3,94i 
45,414 
17,041 

Wyoming  

Q 

•5 

?2? 

27.875 

262 

Total 43,02937,789  1 1,599,534  $82,392,423  3,717,969 


CHAPTER   III. 

THE   RIVER   BRETHREN. 

/ 

THOSE  who  first  constituted  the  body  popularly  known 
as  River  Brethren  came  to  this  country  from  Switzerland 
in  1750  and  settled  near  the  Susquehanna  River  in  eastern 
Pennsylvania.  They  have  no  history  to  which  the  inquirer 
can  refer,  and  they  are  able  to  give  few  particulars  of  the 
early  life  of  the  denomination.  They  were,  it  is  supposed, 
Mennonites.  As  the  result  of  a  revival  movement,  begin- 
ning in  1770,  many  of  these  people  who  had  been  formal 
in  their  worship  became  zealous  believers,  and  organized 
separate  congregations.  The  first  members  were  baptized, 
it  is  believed,  in  the  Susquehanna  River,  and  the  denomi- 
nation thus  came  to  be  known  as  River  Brethren.  Jacob 
Engle  was  their  first  minister. 

In  their  belief  they  hold  to  trine  immersion,  the  washing 
of  feet,  nonresistance,  and  nonconformity  to  the  world. 
In  many  points  in  belief  and  practice  they  are  like  the 
Mennonites. 

I. — THE   BRETHREN   IN   CHRIST. 

This  is  by  far  the  largest  and  best  organized  branch  of 
the  River  Brethren.  Its  churches,  of  which  there  are  78, 
are  associated  in  district  conferences,  and  there  is  also  a 
general  conference,  representing  the  whole  body.  There 
are  twenty  of  the  district  conferences.  The  total  of  com- 

55 


56       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

municants  is  2688.  The  average  seating  capacity  of  the 
churches  is  422,  and  their  average  value  $1623.  There 
are  27  halls,  etc.,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  1080. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Illinois  «  

Organi-   Church 
zations.    Edifices. 

...     .       12             6 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

2  ^OO 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$T7   7OO 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

181 

Indiana  

7             2 

7OO 

1,  8OO 

Iowa  

2 

AO 

Kansas     

9C 

2,150 

Q.COO 

Maryland  

I              I 

600 

3  .OOO 

16 

Michigan  

7             2 

2CQ 

CCQ 

New  York  

I              I 

4.OO 

1,  8OO 

•32 

Ohio          

13          9 

3.OOO 

14,  IOO 

AIO 

Pennsylvania  .  . 

26            IQ 

8.70C. 

28.600 

I.2IQ 

Total 78        45      19,005      $73,050     2,688 


SUMMARY  BY  DISTRICTS. 


Ashland,  Ohio 

Center,  Pa 

Clarence  Center,  N.  Y. . . 

Cumberland,  Pa 

Dayton,  Ohio  and  Ind. . . 

Donegal,  Pa 

Indiana,  Ind 

Iowa,  Iowa 

Lykins  Valley,  Pa 

Morrison's  Cove,  Pa 

New  Guilford,  Pa.  &  Md. 
North  Dickinson,  Kan. . . 

North  Franklin,  Pa 

Pine  Creek,  111 

Port  Huron,  Mich 

Rapho,  Pa 

Shannon,  111 

South  Dickinson,  Kan. . . 

Wayne,  Ohio 

Whiteside,  111 


2 

500 

$1,500 

56 

27 

I 
2 

4 

2 
I* 

400 
800 
1,900 

1,200 
700 

1,  800 

3,000 
8,400 
4,500 
i,  800 

32 
130 

235 
222 
120 
4.O 

4 
4 

2 

5 
3 

i 

2 

3 

4 

1,105 
1,900 
1,000 

2,150 
1,700 
500 

go 
1,  600 

1,500 

4,000 
3,600 
4,200 
9,500 
4,600 
1,200 

550 
7,700 
11,300 

216 

137 
72 
289 
234 

43 
52 

221 

91 

2QQ 

3* 
i 

1,500 
300 

4,200 

1,200 

129 

47 

Total 78      45      19,005      $73,050     2,688 


THE  RIVER  BRETHREN.  57 


2. — THE   OLD   ORDER   OF  YORKER   BRETHREN. 

This  branch  is  generally  called  "Yorker"  Brethren,  be- 
cause when  the  River  Brethren  were  divided  in  1862  the 
churches  in  York  County  were  not  affected  by  the  division. 
It  is  an  extremely  small  body,  holding  to  the  original  doc- 
trines and  practices  of  the  River  Brethren. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 

rw_,          n,««.ii     Seating    Value  of         Com- 

•™  S2S£    Ed&£        Ca-8    Church          muni- 

"    pacity.    Property.         cants. 

Indiana I  ..          ..         ..  12 

Iowa i  ..          ..         ..  15 

Ohio 2  38 

Pennsylvania 4  . .          . .         . .  149 

Total 8          214 


3. — THE  UNITED   ZION'S  CHILDREN. 

This  branch  is  the  result  of  a  division  which  occurred  in 
Dauphin  County,  Pa.,  in  1853.  It  has  the  same  confession 
of  faith  as  the  River  Brethren,  and  differs  from  them  only 
in  unimportant  particulars.  In  observing  the  ceremony  of 
feet- washing  one  person  both  washes  and  dries;  among 
the  River  Brethren  one  person  does  the  washing  and  an- 
other the  drying.  Services  are  held  in  the  churches  alter- 
nately every  six  weeks.  Communion  is  celebrated  once 
or  twice  a  year. 

The  25  organizations  are  all  in  Pennsylvania.  They 
own  that  number  of  houses  of  worship,  valued  at  $8300. 
The  number  of  members  is  525. 


58       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY. 


STATE. 

Pennsylvania  .    . 

Organi- 
zations. 

2C 

Church         r* 
h  ces>      pacify. 

25        3,100 

OF  ALL  RIVER 

6       2,300 
2          700 

5        2,150 
i          600 

2                25O 
I                400 

9        3,900 
44      11,805 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$8,300 

BRETHREN. 

$13,700 
1,800 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

525 

181 

142 

52 

•i1 

SUMMARY 

BY  STATES 

...         12 

8 

Towa 

Kansas  

9,500 
3,ooo 
550 
i,  800 
14,100 
36,900 

Maryland    

Michigan     

7 

New  York  

...          I 

Ohio  

15 

Pennsylvania  .  .  . 

EC 

Total in 


70      22,105        $8i,35o      3,427 


CHAPTER   IV. 

THE   PLYMOUTH   BRETHREN. 

THIS  body  of  Christians  originated  in  several  separate 
and  spontaneous  movements  in  1827-30.  The  first  public 
meeting  held  by  them  was  in  Dublin,  Ireland.  A  large 
company  of  them  was  gathered  in  Plymouth,  England, 
whence  they  are  popularly  called  "  Plymouth  "  Brethren, 
a  title  they  do  not  accept.  They  speak  of  themselves  as 
believers,  Christians,  saints,  or  Brethren.  Division  soon 
came  among  them,  and  they  now  exist  in  England  in  sev- 
eral branches.  From  England  they  came  to  Canada  and 
the  United  States. 

The  Brethren  accept  the  Scriptures  as  their  only  guide, 
acknowledging  no  creeds,  rituals,  or  anything  "  which  sa- 
vors of  reason  or  mere  expediency."  They  do  not  allow 
that  ordination  is  necessary  to  the  ministry.  They  hold 
that  gift  is  sufficient  authorization  for  the  exercise  of  the 
privilege  of  the  priesthood  of  all  believers,  the  Holy  Spirit 
being  the  guide.  Hence  they  have  no  presiding  officers 
in  their  public  meetings.  Woman's  sphere  is  considered 
as  private. 

They  accept  the  evangelical  doctrines  of  the  Trinity,  of 
the  sinless  humanity  and  absolute  divinity  of  Christ,  and 
of  Christ's  atonement  by  his  sacrificial  death,  and  hold  that 
the  Holy  Spirit  is  present  in  the  believer  and  in  the  church, 
and  that  believers  are  eternally  secure.  They  look  for  the 

59 


60       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 

personal  premillennial  coming  of  Christ,  and  believe  that 
the  punishment  of  the  wicked  will  be  eternal. 

Their  view  of  the  church  is  that  it  is  one  and  indivisible. 
Christ  is  the  head  of  it,  the  Holy  Spirit  the  bond  of  union, 
and  every  believer  a  member.  It  was  begun  at  Pentecost 
and  will  be  completed  at  the  second  advent. 

They  regard  the  various  denominations  as  based  upon 
creeds,  an  ordained  ministry,  and  separate  organizations, 
and  do  not  therefore  fellowship  them.  They  meet  every 
Sunday  to  "  break  bread,"  which  is  the  term  they  use  to 
designate  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  Other 
meetings  are  held  for  Bible  study  and  prayer,  and,  when- 
ever occasion  offers,  for  the  unconverted.  They  own  no 
church  edifices,  but  meet  in  halls  and  private  houses. 

The  divisions  in  England  are  partly  reproduced  in  the 
United  States.  The  last  division  in  this  country,  by  which 
the  third  and  fourth  branches  were  created  out  of  the  third, 
was  due  to  a  question  of  belief.  The  following  are  the 
branches,  the  Roman  numerals  being  introduced  for  the 
sake  of  distinction : 

Plymouth  Brethren  I. 

Plymouth  Brethren  II. 

Plymouth  Brethren  III. 

Plymouth  Brethren  IV. 

I. — THE   PLYMOUTH   BRETHREN  I. 

This  is  the  main  body  of  Brethren.  They  are  regarded 
as  more  conservative  than  the  second  branch,  but  less  so 
than  the  third  and  fourth  branches.  They  have  109 
assemblies  or  organizations,  with  2279  members,  who  are 
divided  among  twenty-seven  States  and  the  District  of 


THE  PLYMOUTH  BRETHREN. 


6l 


Columbia.  As  the  Plymouth  Brethren  have  no  houses 
of  worship,  and  consequently  no  church  property,  those 
columns  are  omitted,  and  the  table  is  arranged  to  show 
the  number  of  halls  occupied  and  their  seating  capacity. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES,    ETC. 


Organi- 
zations. 


Halls, 
etc. 


Scaring 

Ca- 
pacity. 


California 4  4  105 

Colorado I  i  90 

Delaware 3  3  320 

District  of  Columbia. ...  i  i  25 

Florida I  i  150 

Georgia 2  2  60 

Illinois 5  5  550 

Indiana I  i  100 

Iowa 9  9  490 

Kansas I  i  16 

Kentucky I/  i  25 

Maine ->T  I  20 

Maryland I  i  30 

Massachusetts 7  7  316 

Michigan  9  9  637 

Minnesota n  n  850 

Missouri 2  2  350 

Nebraska i  i  25 

New  Hampshire i  I  80 

New  Jersey 9  9  770 

New  York 19  18  1,600 

North  Carolina i  i  25 

Ohio 2  2  37 

Pennsylvania 1 1  1 1  572 

Texas i  i  20 

Vermont i  i  20 

Washington 2  2  40 

Wisconsin i  i  120 

Total 109  108  7,423 


Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

49 

14 

44 

8 

75 


5 
5 

24 
119 
192 
243 


213 

494 

3 

,4 

6 

4 

19 

70 

2,289 


2. — THE   PLYMOUTH   BRETHREN   II. 

Those    constituting   this    branch   are   often    called   the 
"Open  Brethren,"  because  they  are  regarded  as  less  strict 


62       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


in  discipline  than  either  of  the  other  three  branches.  They 
also  hold  a  somewhat  different  view  of  the  ministry,  a  view 
approaching  that  common  among  the  denominations  which 
have  regular  pastors.  The  column  headed  "  church  prop' 
erty  "  represents  furniture. 

They  have  88  organizations  and  2419  members,  and  are 
represented  in  twenty-three  States,  their  chief  strength 
being  in  Illinois. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Arkansas 

California 

Colorado 

Illinois 

Indiana 

Iowa 

Kansas 

Louisiana 

Massachusetts  .... 

Michigan 

Minnesota 

Missouri 

Nebraska 

New  Jersey 

New  York 

North  Dakota 

Ohio 

Oregon 

Pennsylvania 

Rhode  Island 

Texas 

Virginia 

Washington 


Total 


Organi- 
zations. 

Halls, 
etc. 

I 

I 

4 

4 

i 

i 

13 

13 

5 

5 

2 

2 

6 

6 

i 

i 

6 

6 

6 

6 

4 

4 

2 

2 

4 

4 

4 

4 

8 

8 

i 

i 

3 

3 

i 

i 

5 

5 

3 

3 

4 

4 

3 

3 

i 

i 

Seating  Value  of 

Ca-  Church 

pacity.  Property. 


515 
ICO 

1,350 
450 
250 
800 
ICO 

750 
700 

400 

200 
700 

975 
175 

600 
200 
300 
260 

ICO 


$90 

250 
ISO 


650 
25 

ICO 


Com- 
muni- 
cants. 


13 
410 

79 
48 

US 

20 
274 
170 

?5 
60 

47 

85 

353 

6 

72 

10 

214 

55 
105 

5o 

20 


88        88        8,925        $1,265        2,419 


3. — THE   PLYMOUTH    BRETHREN   III. 

These  are  the  strictest  division  of  the  Brethren.     Their 
separation  from  the  Brethren  of  the  first  and  largest  divi- 


THE  PLYMOUTH  BRETHREN.  63 

sion  some  years  ago  was  the  result  of  a  controversy  on  a 
point  of  doctrine  and  a  matter  of  discipline.  They  claim 
that  such  divine  power  is  vested  in  the  church,  that  all  the 
Brethren  are  under  moral  obligation  to  submit  to  a  decision 
rendered  by  the  church,  even  though  the  decision  were 
regarded  as  unjust. 

They  have  86  organizations  and  1235  members.     Most 
of  them  are  to  be  found  in  the  State  of  Illinois. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Organi-      Halls, 
zations.         etc. 


California 

Colorado 

Connecticut 

Florida 

Georgia 

Illinois 

Iowa 

Kansas 

Louisiana 

Maryland 

Massachusetts 

Michigan 

Minnesota 

Missouri 

Nebraska 

New  Hampshire 

New  Jersey 

New  York 

North  Dakota 

Ohio 

Oregon  

Pennsylvania 

Rhode  Island 

Tennessee 

Vermont 

Virginia 

Washington 

Wisconsin 

Total . . 


Seating 

Ca- 
pacity. 

IOO 
2OO 


IOO 
IOO 


Value  of 

Church 

Property. 


150 


IOO 

80 


270 

75 

IOO 

180 


S200 


Com- 
muni- 
cants. 


40 


33 
32 


79 

2 

12 

59 

47 

12 

18 
50 

83 
76 


12 

57 
ii 

8 

2 

13 
12 

4 


86       86       2,720          $200        1,235 


64       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


4. — THE   PLYMOUTH   BRETHREN   IV. 

This  branch  is  due  to  a  difference  arising  quite  recently 
among  those  formerly  constituting  the  third  division. 
Some  held  that  a  second  impartation  of  divine  power  must 
be  received  before  a  believer  could  be  said  to  be  in  full 
possession  of  eternal  life.  This  view  gave  rise  to  various 
complications  respecting  the  person  of  Christ  and  the  con- 
dition of  the  Old  Testament  saints.  Those  who  refused  to 
accept  this  teaching  formed  new  assemblies  or  congrega- 
tions, and  constitute  the  fourth  division. 

They  have  31  organizations,  with  718  members.  They 
are  found  in  fifteen  States,  principally  in  California,  Ohio, 
and  Massachusetts. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


California 

Colorado 

Georgia 

Illinois 

Indiana 

Kansas 

Maryland 

Massachusetts  . 

Michigan 

Minnesota 

Nebraska 

New  Jersey 

Ohio 

Pennsylvania  . . 
South  Carolina 


Organi- 
zations. 


Halls, 
etc. 


pacity. 
850 

ISO 

300 
2OO 
2OO 

75 

120 
100 

100 


Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

.37 

6 
28 
35 

12 

67 

IOO 

57 
37 
30 

58 
no 

25 


Total 


2,095 


718 


THE  PLYMOUTH  BRETHREN. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES  OF  ALL  PLYMOUTH  BRETHREN. 


STATES,  KTC. 

Organi- 

Halls, 

Seating 
Ca- 

etc. 

pacity. 

Arkansas  

, 

I 

California  

18 

18 

1,570 

Colorado  

4 

4 

39° 

Connecticut  

3 

3 

Delaware  

3 

3 

320 

District  of  Columbia 

i 

i 

25 

Florida  

5 

5 

250 

Georgia  
Illinois  

7 
29 

7 
29 

1  60 
2,280 

Indiana  

7 

7 

700 

Iowa  

17 

17 

1,540 

Kansas  

H 

H 

966 

Kentucky  

i 

i 

25 

Louisiana  

—"2 

2 

100 

Maine  

I 

I 

20 

Maryland  
Massachusetts  

it 

18 

3I2 
1,366 

Michigan  

21 

21 

1,617 

Minnesota  

18 

18 

1,325 

Missouri  

6 

6 

550 

Nebraska  

13 

13 

25 

New  Hampshire  .  .  . 

2 

2 

80 

New  Jersey  

23 

23 

1,860 

New  York  

31 

30 

2,650 

North  Carolina  

I 

I 

25 

South  Dakota 

Ohio  

II 

II 

412 

Oregon           

2 

2 

Pennsylvania  

21 

21 

1,452 

Rhode  Island  

4 

4 

200 

South  Carolina  .... 

I 

I 

Tennessee  

I 

I 

Texas  

5 

5 

320 

Vermont  

2 

2 

2O 

Virginia  

5 

5 

260 

Washington  

6 

6 

140 

Wisconsin  

2 

2 

205 

Total.. 

3H 

308 

2I.I63 

Value  of 

Com- 

Church 

muni- 

Property. 

cants. 

$90 

3 

.... 

34i 

.... 

70 

.... 

16 

.... 

44 

.... 

8 

.... 

108 

.... 

55 

250 

830 

150 

128 

.... 

377 

.... 

212 

.... 

5 

.... 

22 

.... 

5 

.... 

103 

650 

552 

200 

466 

25 

387 

.... 

229 

.... 

136 

.... 

19 

100 

439 

.... 

923 

3 

.... 

35 

.... 

276 

•  «  • 

22 

.... 

460 

66 

.... 

8 

.... 

8 

.... 

in 

...! 

6 

.... 

63 

74 
$1,465       6,661 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE    CATHOLICS. 

As  this  term  is  commonly  used,  it  applies  to  the  Church 
of  Rome,  to  the  Eastern  or  Orthodox  Churches,  and  to 
the  Old  and  Reformed  Catholic  bodies,  which  have  lately 
arisen.  As  the  result  of  a  controversy  beginning  in  the 
ninth  century  the  Christian  Church  was  divided  into  the 
Roman  and  Greek  Churches.  The  Church  of  Rome, 
which  is  the  more  numerous  division,  is  officially  called  the 
"  Holy,  Catholic,  Apostolic,  and  Roman  Church,"  and 
claims  to  be  the  only  church  founded  by  Christ.  It  has 
a  hierarchy,  including  a  pope,  who  is  supreme  pontiff,  a 
college  of  cardinals,  and  numerous  archbishops  and  bishops. 
Its  doctrine  is  expressed  in  the  oecumenical  creeds — the 
Apostles',  the  Nicene  (with  the  Filioque),  and  the  Athana- 
sian — and  in  the  decrees  of  twenty  oecumenical  councils, 
the  latest  of  which  was  that  of  the  Vatican,  in  1870.  The 
Greek  Church,  whose  full  title  is  "  Holy,  Orthodox,  Cath- 
olic, Apostolic,  Oriental  Church,"  includes  the  Church  of 
Russia,  the  Church  of  Greece,  the  Armenians,  and  various 
other  divisions.  The  Orthodox  or  Eastern  Church  holds 
to  the  decrees  and  canons  of  the  first  seven  oecumenical 
councils,  accepting  the  Nicene  Creed  without  the  Latin 
Filioque.  This  creed  is  its  chief  doctrinal  expression.  Its 
highest  officials  are  patriarchs.  It  has  besides,  metropoli- 
tans or  archbishops,  and  bishops.  The  Uniates  are  Greek 
Christians  who  have  acknowledged  the  supremacy  of  the 

66 


THE   CATHOLICS.  67 

pope.  The  Old  and  Reformed  Catholics  are  bodies  origi- 
nating in  this  country  in  withdrawals  from  the  Roman 
Church. 


I. — THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 

The  first  Christian  congregations  organized  in  the  terri- 
tory now  constituting  the  United  States  were  those  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  faith.  The  oldest  was  established  in  St. 
Augustine,  Fla.,  shortly  after  that  settlement  was  founded 
in  1565.  But  Catholic  services  were  held  on  Florida  soil 
long  before  that  date.  Missionaries  accompanied  the  Span- 
ish expeditions  of  discovery  and  settlement  in  the  first  half- 
century  after  Columbus  made  his  first  voyage  to  America, 
and  these  raised  the  cross  and  conducted  divine  worship. 
John  Juarez,  who  had  been  appointed  by  the  pope  Bishop 
of  Florida,  landed  with  the  expedition  of  Narvaez  in  1528, 
but  is  supposed  to  have  been  slain  or  to  have  perished  from 
hunger  the  same  year.  After  St.  Augustine  was  estab- 
lished many  companies  of  missionaries  went  out  into  Flor- 
ida, Alabama,  Georgia,  and  Carolina  to  labor  among  the 
Indians.  The  second  oldest  town,  Santa  Fe,  was  founded 
by  Spaniards  in  1582.  Missionaries  in  connection  with 
Coronado's  exploring  expedition  preached  among  the  Indi- 
ans of  New  Mexico  forty  years  earlier,  but  they  soon  per- 
ished. After  the  founding  of  Santa  Fe  missionary  work 
was  more  successful,  and  many  tribes  of  Indians  accepted 
the  Catholic  faith.  Franciscans  established  missions  in 
California  in  1601,  and  French  priests  held  worship  on 
Neutral  Island,  on  the  coast  of  Maine,  in  1609,  and  three 
years  later  on  Mount  Desert  Island.  Jesuit  missions,  be- 
gun on  the  upper  Kennebec  in  1646,  were  more  successful 


68       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

and  permanent,  many  Indian  converts  being  among  their 
fruits.  In  1665  Catholics  sought  to  convert  the  Onondagas 
and  other  tribes  in  New  York.  Similar  attempts  among 
the  Great  Lakes  were  made  as  early  as  1641. 

The  history  of  the  Catholic  Church  among  the  English 
colonists  began  with  the  immigration  of  English  and  Irish 
Catholics  to  Maryland  in  1634.  They  founded  the  town 
of  St.  Mary's  the  first  year.  Ten  years  later,  as  the  result 
of  a  conflict  with  Protestant  colonists,  their  privileges  of 
worship  were  curtailed,  but  restored  in  1646.  A  toleration 
act  was  passed  by  the  legislature  of  Maryland  in  1649,  but 
it  was  repealed  in  1654.  The  Catholics  received  their 
rights  again  in  1660,  to  be  restricted  once  more  in  1704, 
and  these  restrictions  were  not  entirely  removed  until  the 
period  of  the  War  of  Independence.  In  Virginia,  the  Caro- 
linas,  Georgia,  and  New  England  severe  laws  were  enforced 
against  Catholics  for  many  years.  In  New  York,  which  is 
now  the  stronghold  of  Catholicism,  there  were,  it  is  said, 
no  more  than  seven  Catholic  families  in  1696,  and  the  few 
Catholics  found  on  Manhattan  Island  eighty  years  later 
had  to  go  to  Philadelphia  to  receive  the  sacraments. 

In  1 784,  at  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  the  pope 
appointed  the  Rev.  John  Carroll  prefect  apostolic.  Be- 
fore this  date  the  Catholics  in  this  country  had  been  under 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  vicar  apostolic  of  London,  England. 
Six  years  later  Dr.  Carroll  was  consecrated  bishop  in 
London,  and  Baltimore  became  the  first  Catholic  diocese. 
The  new  bishop  estimated  the  number  of  Catholics  in  the 
United  States  at  that  time  at  about  30,000,  of  whom  1 6,000 
were  in  Maryland,  and  7000  in  Pennsylvania.  The  rest 
were  scattered  over  a  broad  territory  stretching  into  the 
west  as  far  as  Michigan,  Indiana,  and  Illinois.  The  church 


THE   CATHOLICS.  69 

was  gradually  extended  to  Kentucky  (1787),  South  Caro- 
lina (1789),  Ohio,  and  other  parts  of  the  country.  It  grew 
rapidly  when  immigration  set  in  from  Ireland  and  Europe. 
This  has  been  the  chief  cause  of  the  rapid  increase  of  the 
church  in  the  last  half-century.  In  1807  there  were  about 
80  churches,  and  a  Catholic  population  of  150,000.  In 
1820  this  population  had  doubled;  in  1830  it  had  doubled 
again.  In  the  next  decade  it  increased  from  500,000  to 
1,500,000;  in  1850  it  had  become  3,500,000;  in  1860, 
4,500,000;  and  in  1876,  6,500,000.  These  figures  were 
given  by  the  late  Prof.  A.  J.  Schem,  who  was  regarded  as 
good  authority  in  church  statistics. 

An  immense  territory  was  covered  until  1808  by  the 
single  diocese  of  Baltimore.  In  that  year  Baltimore  became 
a  metropolitan  see,  with  four  suffragan  bishoprics — New 
York,  Philadelphia,  Boston,  and  Bardstown.  The  purchase 
of  Louisiana  in  1803  had  added  the  diocese  of  New  Orleans, 
which  had  been  erected  in  1803.  In  1846  Oregon  City 
became  a  metropolitan  see;  in  1847  tne  same  dignity  was 
conferred  on  St.  Louis,  and  in  1850  Cincinnati,  New  York, 
and  New  Orleans  were  erected  into  provinces.  There  are 
now  13  provinces,  the  metropolitan  sees  being  those  of 
Baltimore,  Oregon,  St.  Louis,  New  Orleans,  Cincinnati, 
New  York,  San  Francisco,  Santa  Fe,  Philadelphia,  Mil- 
waukee, Boston,  Chicago,  and  St.  Paul.  Connected  with 
these  provinces  are  66  dioceses,  5  vicariates  apostolic,  and 
i  prefecture  apostolic. 

The  doctrinal  system  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  is 
embodied  in  the  Apostles',  Nicene,  and  Athanasian  creeds, 
and  the  dogmatic  decisions  of  the  oecumenical  councils 
from  325  to  1870.  The  doctrine  of  the  church  is  that  it 
consists  of  all  who  hold  the  true  faith,  receive  the  true  sacra- 


70       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 

ments,  and  acknowledge  the  rule  of  the  pope  of  Rome  as 
head  of  the  church.  While  the  Bible,  including  the  books 
commonly  called  apocryphal,  is  accepted  as  the  Word  of 
God,  the  authority  of  ecclesiastical  tradition  is  honored. 
The  church  is  held  to  be  infallible ;  the  Virgin  Mary,  the 
saints,  their  pictures  and  relics  are  venerated;  seven  sac- 
raments— baptism,  the  eucharist,  confirmation,  penance, 
extreme  unction,  ordination,  and  matrimony — are  admin- 
istered ;  justification  is  held  to  be  by  faith  and  works 
conjoined ;  transubstantiation  and  the  adoration  of  the 
elements,  baptismal  salvation,  priestly  absolution,  the  sacri- 
fice of  the  mass,  prayers  for  the  dead,  the  immaculate 
conception  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  a  temporary  place  between 
heaven  and  hell  for  departed  spirits,  are  also  features  of 
Catholic  belief.  The  worship  of  the  church  is  conducted 
in  the  Latin  language  according  to  an  established  ritual,  the 
mass  occupying  the  central  place  in  the  services. 

The  government  of  the  church  is  hierarchical.  At  its 
head  is  the  pope  with  a  college  of  cardinals.  Next  in  order 
are  archbishops,  who  are  set  over  provinces ;  bishops,  who 
preside  over  dioceses ;  and  various  other  ecclesiastical  dig- 
nitaries, besides  the  heads  of  orders,  monasteries,  etc.  In 
the  ministering  priesthood  there  are  two  orders — those  of 
priest  and  deacon.  The  governing  authority  of  each  dio- 
cese is  its  bishop,  who  receives  his  ecclesiastical  power  from 
the  pope.  The  government  of  the  church  in  the  United 
States  is  conducted  through  the  Propaganda  at  Rome,  the 
United  States  being  regarded  for  this  purpose  as  mission- 
ary territory. 

In  the  specially  difficult  task  of  gathering  the  statistics 
of  the  churches,  chapels,  missions,  and  stations  of  the  vari- 
ous dioceses  and  vicariates,  the  archbishops,  bishops,  and 


THE   CATHOLICS.  7 1 

other  ecclesiastical  officers  gave  cordial  cooperation.  At 
the  earnest  request  of  the  special  agent  of  the  Census  Office 
they  nominated  to  him  suitable  persons  to  do  the  work  at 
his  appointment  and  under  his  instruction,  urged  those  in 
charge  of  congregations  to  give  the  information  required, 
and  most  of  them  inspected  and  approved  the  final  returns 
before  they  were  certified  and  reported  to  the  Census  Office 
for  acceptance. 

As  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  always  gives  in  its  pub- 
lished annual  statistics  the  number  of  baptized  members  or 
population  instead  of  communicants,  the  census  appointee 
in  each  diocese  was  requested  to  comply  with  the  require- 
ments of  the  census  schedules  and  furnish  the  number  of 
communicants,  in  order  that  the  statistics  of  all  the  denom- 
inations might  be  uniform.  This  was  done  in  every  case. 
According  to  information  received  from  bishops,  it  is  the 
custom  of  the  church  for  baptized  persons  to  make  their 
first  communion  between  the  ages  of  nine  and  eleven  years. 
Baptized  persons  below  the  age  of  nine  years  are  not 
included,  therefore,  in  the  census  returns.  Some  ecclesi- 
astical authorities  estimate  that  members  of  this  class  con- 
stitute about  fifteen  per  cent,  of  the  population  of  the 
church,  which,  of  course,  embraces  both  baptized  members 
and  communicants. 

In  order  that  proper  significance  may  be  given  to  the 
figures  representing  the  seating  capacity  of  churches,  chap- 
els, etc.,  it  will  be  necessary  to  take  into  consideration  the 
fact  that  in  populous  places  from  three  to  four  and  some- 
times as  many  as  six  or  seven  services,  or  even  more,  are 
held  in  the  same  church  on  Sunday  In  most  Protestant 
churches  there  are  two  services  only,  and  in  some  but  one 
service.  Separate  services  of  the  mass  in  Catholic  churches 


72       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

are  usually  attended  by  different  audiences.  It  may  help 
to  a  better  understanding  of  the  matter  to  quote  a  few 
sentences  from  letters  written  by  heads  of  dioceses. 

Archbishop  Elder,  of  Cincinnati,  says : 

"  The  most  of  our  churches  have  at  least  two,  often  three, 
and  as  many  as  six  masses  every  Sunday,  and  each  is 
attended  by  a  different  body  of  worshipers." 

Archbishop  Janssens,  of  New  Orleans,  speaks  of  from 
"  two,  three,  to  six  masses,"  and  refers  to  the  fact  that 
many  persons  stand  during  service.  In  the  archdiocese  of 
Baltimore,  according  to  the  secretary  of  Cardinal  Gibbons, 
there  are  usually  four  different  congregations  on  Sunday 
in  a  single  edifice.  In  the  archdiocese  of  Boston  there  are 
five  services  in  the  cathedral,  which  has  a  communicant 
membership  of  12,000,  and  reports  2600  seating  capacity. 
Archbishop  Corrigan,  of  New  York,  says  the  "  same  space 
is  used  over  and  over  again  by  different  worshipers  at  dif- 
ferent hours."  An  examination  of  the  returns  for  that 
see  shows  that  of  77  churches  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
i  has  one  service  of  the  mass,  6  have  two  services,  4  have 
three,  12  have  four,  17  have  five,  22  have  six,  10  have 
seven,  3  have  eight,  I  has  nine,  and  I  has  ten  every  Sun- 
day. Of  an  equal  number  of  churches  in  the  rural  part  of 
the  archdiocese,  26  have  one  mass,  24  have  two  masses, 
1 1  have  three,  4  have  six,  and  i  has  five  every  Sunday ; 
4  have  mass  twice  a  month,  and  5  have  it  once  a  month. 
Bishop  McGovern,  of  Harrisburg,  says : 

"  It  is  true  there  are  many  services  in  our  churches,  but 
each  service  is  not  always  attended  by  persons  who  were 
not  at  another  service.  Some  persons  attend  all  the  ser- 
vices. Then,  again,  in  some  of  the  churches  many  stand 
up  for  want  of  seats," 


THE   CATHOLICS.  73 

Bishop  Phelan,  of  Pittsburg,  writes : 

"  We  have  in  this  diocese  about  140  churches.  In  some 
there  is  one,  in  many  two,  in  some  three,  and  in  a  couple 
even  four  morning  services  (masses)  every  Sunday.  The 
afternoon  or  evening  services  should  not  count,  as  these 
worshipers  are,  or  ought  to  be,  the  same  who  were  present 
in  the  forenoon." 

The  use  made  of  the  accommodations  for  worshipers  is 
also  indicated  by  the  number  of  communicants  belonging 
to  a  parish.  In  many  cases  from  8000  to  15,000  commu- 
nicants are  reported  for  a  single  parish.  In  one  diocese 
there  is  a  parish,  consisting  entirely  of  Poles,  which  has 
1 7,490  communicants,  who  are  accommodated  in  a  single 
church  with  a  seating  capacity  of  1900.  Here  the  propor- 
tion of  communicants  to  seating  capacity  is  almost  as  nine 
to  one.  But  this  is  an  extreme  case.  In  Baltimore,  Bos- 
ton, and  Chicago  it  is  less  than  three  to  one;  in  New 
York,  more  than  three  to  one;  in  New  Orleans,  nearly 
four  to  one ;  in  Oregon,  Philadelphia,  St.  Paul,  and  San 
Francisco,  upward  of  two  to  one ;  in  Cincinnati  and  Mil- 
waukee, less  than  two;  while  in  Santa  Fe  it  is  less  than 
one.  The  average  in  the  thirteen  metropolitan  sees  is 
about  two  and  a  quarter  to  one. 

The  total  number  of  communicants  is  6,231,417,  who  are 
attached  to  10,231  organizations  (churches,  chapels,  and 
stations),  making  an  average  of  609  communicants  to  each 
congregation.  Of  the  10,231  organizations,  1469,  or  about 
14.4  per  cent.,  worship  in  halls,  schoolhouses,  or  private 
houses,  which,  exclusive  of  private  houses,  represent  a 
seating  capacity  of  69,159,  while  the  8776  edifices  owned 
by  the  church  have  a  seating  capacity  of  3,365,754, 
making  a  total  of  3,435,913  for  the  whole  church,  which 


74       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

is  somewhat  more  than  half  the  number  of  communicants. 
Some  of  the  parishes  which  have  no  church  edifices,  but 
use  temporarily  such  accommodations  as  private  houses  can 
afford,  are  very  large.  One  of  these  parishes  reports  no 
fewer  than  14, OCX)  communicants.  In  eleven  of  the  eighty- 
five  sees,  including  the  archdioceses  of  New  Orleans,  Phil- 
adelphia, and  San  Francisco,  every  organization  has  its 
own  church  edifice. 

The  total  value  of  church  property,  including  edifices, 
the  ground  on  which  they  stand,  furniture,  bells,  etc.,  is 
$i  18,069,746.  The  average  value  of  each  edifice  is  there- 
fore about  $13,454.  The  metropolitan  see  of  New  York, 
with  its  472,806  communicants,  has  church  property  valued 
at  nearly  $9,000,000 ;  that  of  Chicago  comes  second,  with 
property  worth  $6,45  7,064 ;  and  that  of  Boston  third,  with 
a  total  of  $6,379,078.  The  diocese  of  Brooklyn  comes 
fourth,  with  a  valuation  of  $5,751,907,  and  Newark  fifth, 
with  $4,297,482.  These  five  sees  have  more  than  one 
fourth  of  the  entire  valuation  of  the  church. 

In  the  distribution  of  communicants,  the  archdiocese  of 
New  York  comes  first,  with  472,806 ;  Boston  second,  with 
419,660 ;  Chicago  third,  with  326,640 ;  Philadelphia  fourth, 
with  251,162;  Brooklyn  (diocese)  fifth,  with  228,785; 
St.  Paul  sixth,  with  203,484 ;  and  Baltimore  seventh,  with 
176,578.  There  are  twenty-two  sees  which  contain  up- 
ward of  100,000  communicants  each. 

In  the  tabulation  by  States  the  following  facts  appear : 
there  are  959  organizations,  with  1,153,130  communicants, 
in  the  State  of  New  York  (seven  dioceses),  and  the  value 
of  church  property  is  $25,769,478;  in  the  State  of  Massa- 
chusetts (two  dioceses)  there  are  614,627  communicants, 
belonging  to  381  organizations,  with  church  property  val- 
ued at  $9,816,003;  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  (five 


THE   CATHOLICS.  75 

dioceses),  551,577  communicants,  654  organizations,  and 
$10,068,770  of  church  property;  in  the  State  of  Illinois 
(four  dioceses),  473,324  communicants,  688  organizations, 
and  church  property  valued  at  $9,946,819;  in  the  State 
of  Ohio  (three  dioceses),  336,114  communicants,  586 
organizations,  and  $7,395,640  of  church  property.  In 
these  five  States  there  are  3,128,772  communicants,  or  a 
little  more  than  one  half  of  the  total  for  the  whole  church, 
and  there  is  church  property  of  the  value  of  $62,996,710, 
which  is  considerably  more  than  half  of  the  total  valua- 
tion. 

The  church  is  represented  in  every  State  and  Territory 
in  the  country,  including  Alaska  and  the  District  of  Co- 
lumbia. It  has  organizations  in  every  county  but  one  in 
the  six  New  England  States ;  also  in  every  county  in  New 
York,  New  Jersey,  Wisconsin,  and  other  States  and  Terri- 
tories. In  the  six  New  England  States  there  are  1,005,- 
120  Catholic  communicants.  This  exceeds  the  total  of 
Protestant  communicants  by  more  than  240,000.  Catholic 
communicants  exceed  Protestant  communicants  in  Massa- 
chusetts and  Rhode  Island,  Boston  and  Providence  being 
great  Catholic  centers ;  but  in  the  other  four  States  Prot- 
estant communicants  predominate. 

Embracing  immigrants  from  nearly  all  the  countries  of 
Europe,  the  Roman  Catholic  is  a  polyglot  church.  Con- 
fessions are  heard,  among  other  languages,  in  German, 
Polish,  Lithuanian,  Hungarian,  Bohemian,  French,  Span- 
ish, and  Italian.  In  the  diocese  of  Scranton  there  are 
seven  Polish,  seven  German,  four  Hungarian,  one  Lithua- 
nian, one  Polish  and  Lithuanian,  and  Italian,  besides  Eng- 
lish congregations. 

The  average  seating  capacity  of  the  church  edifices  is 
384,  and  the  average  value  $13,453. 


76       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Churc 
Edifice 

t        Seating 

Value  of 
Church 

Com- 
muni- 

s>      parity. 

Property. 

cants. 

Alabama  

70 

42 

10,520 

$602,750 

13,230 

Alaska  

6 

5 

500 

9,700 

559 

Arizona  

52 

22 

6,490 

124,500 

19,000 

Arkansas  

47 

47 

8,580 

2I9,IOO 

3,845 

California  

249 

243 

83,740 

2,627,950 

156,846 

Colorado  

no 

94 

23,378 

843,637 

47,  i  i  i 

Connecticut  

148 

133 

79,444 

3,093,750 

152,945 

Delaware  

J9 

16 

8,780 

2OI,5OO 

11,776 

District  of  Colum- 

bia   
Florida  

17 
44 

17 
33 

12,800 
8,140 

1,015,800 
225,100 

37,593 
16,867 

Georgia  

64 

44 

10,746 

485,123 

11,228 

Idaho  

52 

22 

4,265 

70,050 

4,809 

Illinois  

688 

666 

235,784 

9,946,819 

473,324 

Indiana  

311 

3°3 

106,202 

3,534,691 

119,100 

Indian  Territory  . 

17 

8 

i,  680 

5,850 

1,240 

Iowa  

445 

455 

138,452 

3,872,400 

164,522 

Kansas  

367 

271 

55,730 

625,561 

67,562 

Kentucky  

222 

1  80 

62,806 

1,800,550 

92,504 

Louisiana  

206 

184 

57,885 

I,568,2OO 

211,763 

Maine  

88 

7o 

29,941 

597,550 

57,548 

Maryland  

180 

169 

60,860 

2,108,670 

141,410 

Massachusetts  .  .  . 

381 

324 

242,267 

9,816,003 

614,627 

Michigan  

406 

360 

131,641 

3,671,350 

222,261 

Minnesota  

465 

404 

149,085 

3,5U,325 

271,319 

Mississippi  

67 

60 

13,448 

321,525 

11,348 

Missouri  

442 

402 

138,943 

4,070,370 

162,864 

Montana  

94 

40 

8,668 

l84,IOO 

25,149 

Nebraska  

213 

179 

38,396 

I,I79,l6o 

51,503 

Nevada  

20 

12 

3,5oo 

88,500 

3,955 

New  Hampshire  . 

68 

52 

23,825 

2O5,6OO 

39,920 

New  Jersey  

219 

191 

99,290 

6,050,682 

222,274 

New  Mexico  

317 

306 

93,770 

296,755 

100,576 

New  York  

959 

877 

480,974 

25,769,478  I 

,153,130 

North  Carolina  .  . 

60 

24 

4,935 

90,262 

2,640 

North  Dakota  

115 

60 

13,615 

171,550 

26,427 

Ohio  

586 

515 

I97,8i3 

7,395,640 

336,114 

Oklahoma  

13 

1,300 

4,300 

1,270 

Oregon  

95 

48 

11,462 

290,090 

30,231 

Pennsylvania  .... 

654 

610 

305,014 

10,068,770 

551,577 

Rhode  Island  

51 

52 

40,625 

2,295,700 

96,755 

South  Carolina  .  . 

66 

23 

7,425 

384,500 

5,36o 

THE   CATHOLICS. 


77 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. — Continued. 


South  Dakota  ...  177 

Tennessee 60 

Texas 263 

Utah 28 

Vermont 79 

Virginia 69 

Washington 86 

West  Virginia  ...  67 

Wisconsin 646 

Wyoming 67 


Church 
Edifices. 

100 

i 

12 

77 
44 

58  n,345 

62  16,229 

620  189,831 

9  1,260 


pacity. 

19,218 
11,105 

55,925 

2,210, 

31,101 

I4,8ll 


Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$246,030 

434,200 

1,018,800 

68,000 
866,400 
458,800 
156,050 

340,155 
4,859,950 

173,450 


Com- 
muni- 
cants. 


25,729 
17,950 
99,691 
5,958 
42,8lO 
12,356 
20,848 

15,653 
249,164 

7,185 


Total 10,231  8,776  3,365,754  $i  18,069,746  6,231,417 


SUMMARY  BY  DIOCESES. 


ARCHDIOCESES, 
DIOCESES,   ETC. 


ARCHDIOCESES. 


Organi- 
zations. 


Church 
Edifices. 


Seating 

Ca- 
pacity. 


Baltimore 174  170  69,995 

Boston 204  166  142,209 

Chicago 278  271  115,065 

Cincinnati 172  164  68,200 

Milwaukee 264  262  93,01 1 

New  Orleans 148  148  50,415 

New  York 275  234  hr.8,303 

Oregon 95  48  0,462 

Philadelphia 153  157  107,667 

Saint  Louis 297  267  102,025 

Saint  Paul 231  201  91,180 

San  Francisco  ...  124  123  49,805 

Santa  Fe 290  289  80,370 

DIOCESES. 

Albany 153  124  64,647 

Alton 141  138  40, 1 68 

Belleville 95  93  25,994 

Brooklyn 109  1 13  73, 133 

Buffalo 156  150  72,639 

Burlington 79  77  31,101 

Charleston 66  23  7,425 

Cheyenne 67  9  1,260 

Cleveland 297  250  92,062 


Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$3,078,020 
6,379,078 
6,457,064 
3,269,970 
3,074,230 
1,535,900 

8,99-525 

290,090 

3,388,000 

2,778,545 

2,474,435 

2,021,260 

272,055 


3,164,700 

1,216,480 

916,400 

5,751,907 

3,403,900 

866,400 

384,500 

173,450 

2,805,200 


Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

176,578 
419,660 
326,640 
132,220 
119,271 
181,964 
472,806 

30,231 
251,162 
123,230 
203,484 
II2,l8o 

89,261 

130,660 

57,285 

25,900 

228,785 

134,518 

42,8lO 

5,360 

7,185 

155,351 


78       RELIGIOUS  FORCES   OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  DIOCESES. — Continued. 


ARCHDIOCESES, 
DIOCESES,   ETC. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 

rnuni- 
cants. 

DIOCESES. 

Columbus  

117 

101 

37,551 

$1,320,470 

48,543 

Concordia  

80 

46 

9,700 

I08,OII 

11,500 

Covington  

98 

62 

I8,6o6 

380,200 

25,793 

Davenport     

138 

136 

38,536 

1,008,165 

47,910 

Denver  

1  10 

94 

23,378 

843,637 

47,111 

Detroit  

I85 

182 

68,139 

2,260,000 

102,551 

Dubuque  

303 

319 

99,916 

2,864,235 

116,612 

Duluth  

63 

4i 

9,086 

H9,375 

13,589 

Erie  

120 

103 

36,988 

873,300 

51,017 

Fort  Wayne  

148 

135 

42,3H 

1,376,000 

45,229 

Galveston  

106 

81 

21,325 

6oi,000 

36,013 

Grand  Rapids  .  .  . 

161 

H5 

39,652 

890,250 

72,830 

Green  Bay  

187 

181 

54,329 

99I,OIO 

70,665 

Harrisburg  

61 

55 

23,673 

877,860 

26,262 

Hartford  

148 

133 

79-444 

3,093,750 

152,945 

Helena  

94 

40 

8,668 

184,100 

25,149 

Jamestown  

"3 

60 

13,615 

171,550 

26,227 

Kansas  City  

79 

77 

21,809 

828,025 

23,626 

La  Crosse  

195 

177 

42,491 

794,710 

59,228 

Leavenworth  .... 

208 

176 

38,945 

392,800 

48,906 

Lincoln  

96 

76 

i8,774 

264,200 

22,131 

Little  Rock  

47 

46^ 

8,580 

219,100 

3,845 

Louisville  

125 

119 

44,260 

1,420,850 

66,801 

Manchester  

68 

52 

23,825 

205,600 

39,920 

Marquette  

60 

63 

23,850 

521,100 

46,880 

Mobile  

82 

48 

11,820 

647,550 

16,109 

Monterey  and  Los 

Angeles  

73 

68 

19,470 

233,690 

32,881 

Nashville  

59 

35 

11,045 

433,700 

17,860 

Natchez  

68 

61 

13,598 

322,525 

11,427 

Natchitoches  .... 

57 

35 

7,320 

31,300 

29,720 

Nesqually  

86 

58 

n,345 

156,050 

20,848 

Newark  

116 

io8X 

63,462 

4,297,482 

162,802 

Ogdensburg  

86 

83 

34,694 

836,246 

60,579 

Omaha  

117 

103 

19,622 

914,960 

29,372 

Peoria  

174 

164 

54,557 

1,356,875 

63,499 

Pittsburg  

198 

185 

78,986 

3,307,025 

134,976 

Portland  
Providence  

88 
86 

70 
87 

29,941 
61,265 

597,550 
3,374,500 

57,548 
156,850 

Richmond  

58 

46 

15,475 

477,500 

13,261 

Rochester  

9i 

9i 

45,775 

1,907,300 

65,670 

Sacramento  

56 

56 

15,865 

421,000 

13,805 

THE   CATHOLICS. 


79 


SUMMARY  BY  DIOCESES. — Continued. 


ARCHDIOCESES, 
DIOCESES,    ETC. 

DIOCESES. 

Saint  Augustine  .  . 
Saint  Cloud  

Organi- 
zations. 

32 
77 

Church 
Edifices. 

27 
7O 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

6,840 

IQ,4.o8 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$180,300 
4O2,76iJ 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

13,988 
10.008 

Saint  Joseph  

66 

58 

I?,IOQ- 

trj*i  l^J 
467,8OO 

l6,008 

San  Antonio 

116 

68 

26  7OO 

726  coo 

7O  8?O 

Savannah 

64 

AA 

IO  746 

48?    127 

II  228 

Scranton  
Sioux  Falls     .... 

122 
170 

1  10 

IOO 

57,700 

10*21  8 

0;0!)>l*3 

1,622,585 
246  O7O 

88,160 

2C  Q2O 

Springfield    ..... 

14.2 

127 

70,4  1  8 

2,7C8,I2i; 

174.872 

Syracuse      

80 

*-"j 
82 

41,787 

1,712,000 

DO,  1  12 

Trenton       

107 

87 

7c,828 

1*7^^.200 

cn.4.72 

Vancouver  Island 
Vincennes  

6 
163 

1  68 

40 
80 

9,700 

2,  158,601 

559 
77,871 

Wheeling  

77 

CO 

171; 

3.00,41;  C 

14,608 

Wichita  

7Q 

40 

124,750 

7,ic6 

Wilmington  
Winona 

43 
08 

33 

02 

125 
602 

259,950 

CI7.7CO 

14,251 
74,248 

VICARIATES  APOSTOLIC. 

Arizona   .   . 

8c 

A  A 

080 

l64,7OO 

76.001 

Brownsville 

-1C 

•2C 

76.2OO 

26,218 

Idaho       .    . 

C2 

22 

080 

7O.O1O 

4,8oo 

North  Carolina  .  . 
Utah  

io 

AA 

24 
2O 

225 
I,7CC 

90,262 

io8,coo 

2,640 
7,807 

PREFECTURE. 

Indian  Territory  . 

30 

H 

20O 

10,150 

3,510 

Total 10,231  8,776  3,365,754  $118,069,746  6,231,417 


2. — THE   GREEK   CATHOLIC   CHURCH   (UNIATES). 

The  Greek  Catholic  Church,  commonly  called  Uniates, 
represents  a  body  quite  numerous  in  Austria,  Hungary, 
and  other  eastern  countries  in  Europe.  This  body  is  in 
communion  with  the  Church  of  Rome,  holding,  contrary  to 
the  other  Greek  churches  of  the  East,  to  the  procession  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  from  the  Son  as  well  as  from  the  Father, 


8O       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 

in  accordance  with  the  belief  of  the  Latin  Church,  but 
maintaining  otherwise  its  ancient  discipline,  allowing  the 
lower  clergy  to  marry,  administering  the  communion  in 
both  kinds  (bread  and  wine)  to  the  laity,  and  using  the 
Greek  language  in  its  ritual.  The  congregations,  whose 
statistics  are  given  herewith,  are  not  in  full  ecclesiastical 
connection  with  the  dioceses  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  and  are  therefore  given  separately. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Illinois 

Minnesota. .. 
New  Jersey . . 
Pennsylvania 


zations. 
I 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

2,OOO 

I 

I 

600 

$3,ooo 

450 

2 
10 

2 
IO 

740 

3,888 

11,400 
48,900 

I,OOO 

7,400 

Total 


14        13  5>228     $63,300     10,850 


3. — THE   RUSSIAN   ORTHODOX   CHURCH. 

The  full  title  of  this  body  is  the  "  Holy,  Orthodox,  Cath- 
olic, Apostolic,  Oriental  Church."  It  arose  in  the  middle 
ages  from  the  Filioque  controversy,  there  being  a  difference 
of  doctrine  between  the  eastern  and  western  Christians  of 
Europe  concerning  the  procession  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The 
Western  Church  maintains  that  the  Holy  Spirit  proceeds 
from  the  Father  and  the  Son ;  the  Eastern  that  the  pro- 
cession is  from  the  Father  alone.  The  chief  governing 
body  of  the  Russian  branch  of  the  Greek  Church  is  the 
holy  synod  at  St.  Petersburg.  The  churches  of  this  faith 
in  California  and  Alaska  are  under  the  ecclesiastical  over- 
sight of  Bishop  Vladimir,  of  San  Francisco,  and  many  of 


THE   CATHOLICS.  8 1 

them  are  supported  financially  by  the  imperial  government 
of  Russia. 

SUMMARY. 

STATE                          Organi-      Church         ***™*         V*m  °f  Com.~ 

ANDTERRIToRv.                 zatfons.     Edifices.         ^           ^  =- 

Alaska n          22        ,2,900  $180,000  13,004 

California i            i            250       40,000  500 

Total 12          23         3,150  $220,000  13,504 


4. — THE   GREEK   ORTHODOX   CHURCH   (GREECE). 

This  is  the  national  church  of  the  kingdom  of  Greece. 
It  is  the  same  in  faith  as  the  Orthodox  Church  of  Russia. 
It  has  one  chapel  in  this  country,  in  connection  with  the 
consulate  of  Greece  in  New  Orleans.  This  chapel  is  under 
the  care  of  Archimandrite  Misael. 

SUMMARY. 

Seating         Value  of  Com- 


zatTons 

Louisiana I  i  75         $5,000          100 

5. — THE   ARMENIAN   CHURCH. 

The  Armenian  Church  of  Turkey  is  separate  from  both 
the  Latin  and  Greek  Catholic  churches.  As  many  Arme- 
nians have  come  to  this  country,  congregations  of  them 
have  been  gathered  during  the  past  ten  years  in  New  York, 
Massachusetts,  and  Rhode  Island.  They  have  no  churches 
of  their  own,  but  meet  for  worship  in  chapels  owned  by 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church.  Their  services  are  held 
in  the  Armenian  language. 


82       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Com- 
muni- 

cants. 

Massachusetts 

TQC 

New  York  

I 

*7J 

7O 

Rhode  Island  .  . 

2 

/  v 

70 

Total 6  335 

6. — THE  OLD  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 

The  Old  Catholic  churches  in  this  country  are  due  to 
the  Old  Catholic  movement  in  Europe,  with  which  they 
are  in  sympathy  in  doctrine  and  polity.  They  have  a 
bishop  or  archbishop — Vilatte — consecrated  May  I,  1892, 
by  a  prelate  of  the  Jacobite  Church  in  India.  Archbishop 
Vilatte  received  orders  in  Switzerland  as  deacon  and  priest 
in  1885  at  the  hands  of  the  Old  Catholic  bishop  of  Berne, 
in  that  city.  The  Old  Catholics  hold  that  the  pope  is  a 
bishop  simply,  but  is  entitled  to  the  primacy  of  honor. 
They  agree  with  the  Greek  Church  in  rejecting  filioque 
in  the  Creed,  acknowledge  seven  sacraments,  revere  the 
monastic  life,  and  venerate  saints,  angels,  and  sacred  icons. 

SUMMARY. 

n,«o«:       ri,  «.i.         Seating          Value  of  Com- 

STATE.  Orgam-      Church  c  Church  muni- 

zauons.      Edifices.         padty  Property.  c^. 

Wisconsin 4  3  700       $13,320          665 


7. — THE  REFORMED  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 

This  body  is  Catholic  only  in  name  and  origin.  It  is  the 
result  of  a  movement  begun  in  New  York  City  ten  or 
twelve  years  ago.  Priests  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church 


THE   CATHOLICS.  83 

who  had  renounced  that  communion  adopted  Protestant 
doctrines,  and  entered  upon  an  evangelical  work,  chiefly 
among  Roman  Catholics.  There  are  congregations  in  con- 
nection with  the  movement  in  New  York,  Massachusetts, 
Pennsylvania,  and  Illinois.  It  has  no  church  edifices. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 

2££    H.^ 

Illinois I  i  400  150 

Massachusetts 7.  i  i,  100  250 

New  York 4  4  i>5oo  450 

Pennsylvania i  i  600  150 

Total 8  8          3,600        1,000 

As  the  Roman  is  the  chief  Catholic  body,  the  other  six 
branches  having  in  all  only  45  organizations,  it  seems  un- 
necessary to  give  a  table  of  all  Catholic  bodies  by  States. 
The  totals  are  as  follows :  organizations,  10,276 ;  church  edi- 
fices, 8816;  seating  capacity,  3,374,907;  value  of  church 
property,  $118,371,366;  communicants,  6,257,871. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  CATHOLIC  APOSTOLIC  CHURCH. 

IN  1830  and  1831  several  Presbyterians  in  Scotland 
and  London  prayed  for  a  restoration  of  the  "  gifts  of  the 
Spirit."  Members  of  the  Episcopal  Church  were  at  the 
same  time  looking  for  such  manifestations.  In  response, 
gifts  of  "  tongues  and  prophesyings  "  came,  it  is  said,  upon 
a  number  of  people,  some  of  whom  were  connected  with  a 
Presbyterian  church  in  London,  of  which  the  Rev.  Edward 
Irving  was  pastor.  Mr.  Irving  was  identified  with  the 
movement,  and  has  often  been  spoken  of  as  the  founder  of 
the  Catholic  Apostolic  Church.  But  its  representatives, 
while  cordially  recognizing  his  services,  do  not  so  regard 
him.  The  spiritual  manifestations  were  "accompanied  by 
many  works  of  divine  power,  such  as  the  healing  of  the 
sick  "  ;  and  in  1832,  after  the  "  reality  of  the  prophetic  gift 
had  been  fully  established  by  the  experience  of  almost 
three  years,"  the  office  of  apostle  was  revived,  a  layman  of 
the  Church  of  England  being  the  first  person  designated 
by  the  Holy  Ghost  to  fill  it.  Others  were  designated  from 
time  to  time  until  the  number  was  completed  and  there 
were  twelve.  Several  congregations  were  organized,  and 
in  time  the  movement  extended  to  other  countries. 

The  first  church  in  the  United  States  was  constituted  in 
Potsdam,  N.  Y.,  and  the  second  in  New  York  City  in  185 1. 

The  Catholic  Apostolic  Church  accepts  the  three  oecu- 
menical creeds — the  Apostles',  Nicene,  and  Athanasian — 

84 


THE   CATHOLIC  APOSTOLIC  CHURCH.  85 

holds  to  the  plenary  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures,  and  also 
to  the  traditions  of  the  church  as  sources  whence  the  doc- 
trine of  Christ  is  to  be  derived.  It  regards  baptism  as  an 
ordinance  for  the  conveyance  of  the  new  or  resurrection 
life,  and  the  Lord's  Supper  as  a  sacrament  for  the  nourish- 
ing and  strengthening  of  that  life.  It  believes  that  the 
gift  of  the  Spirit  is  conveyed  by  the  laying  on  of  apostles' 
hands.  The  doctrine  of  predestination  is  accepted,  although 
it  is  denied  that  God's  mercies  are  limited  to  the  elect. 

In  its  system  of  worship  the  Eucharist  has  the  central 
place.  It  is  celebrated  every  Sunday.  There  is  also  a 
daily  service,  morning  and  evening.  A  full  ritual  is  used 
in  public  worship. 

Apostles,  prophets,  evangelists,  and  angels  or  chief  pas- 
tors are  recognized  as  constituting  a  fourfold  ministry. 
Angels  are  pastors  of  local  churches,  in  which  there  are 
also  elders,  deacons,  and  deaconesses.  Each  church  is  re- 
garded as  complete  in  itself. 

The  Catholic  Apostolic  Church  has  10  organizations  and 
1394  members.  The  average  seating  capacity  of  its 
church  edifices  is  250,  and  their  average  value  $22,017. 
There  are  7  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  350. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 

r»  r\>      u         Seating       Value  of  Com- 

STATES.  °/?ani-    g?"rch  Ca-  Church  muni- 

zations.    Edifices.       padty         Property.  ^te. 

California I         $800  88 

Connecticut 3  i            300         3,250  186 

Illinois i         . .           6,500  155 

Massachusetts i  . .           ....             500  70 

New  York 3  2           450       55,ooo  822 

Pennsylvania i         . .           73 

Total 10          3  750     $66,050         1,394 


CHAPTER   VII. 

CHINESE    TEMPLES. 

EVERY  Chinese  temple  is  a  house  of  prayer  or  worship, 
but  no  sermon  is  preached,  no  priest  installed,  no  religious 
instruction  given,  and  no  seating  accommodations  provided. 
There  is  always  at  least  one  shrine,  the  more  frequented 
temples  having  several,  so  that  a  number  of  persons  can 
perform  the  usual  ceremony,  each  for  himself,  without 
being  obliged  to  take  turns.  The  worshipers  do  not  meet 
in  a  body,  nor  is  any  particular  time  set  for  devotions. 
When  about  to  enter  upon  a  new  enterprise  or  to  take  a 
journey,  or  when  in  doubt  concerning  any  particular  course 
of  action,  the  Chinese  are  careful  to  consult  their  gods  and 
patron  saints.  Every  worshiper  provides  himself  with  in- 
cense sticks,  candles,  and  sacrificial  papers,  which  are 
generally  to  be  had  of  attendants  at  small  cost.  Offerings 
of  wine  and  meat  are  added  on  special  occasions.  The 
candles  and  incense  sticks  are  lighted  and  placed  in  their 
proper  receptacles.  If  wine  is  used,  it  is  put  in  minute 
cups  scarcely  larger  than  thimbles,  and  these  are  ranged  in 
a  row  before  the  shrine.  The  meat  offerings  may  be  roast 
chicken,  roast  pig,  or  any  other  table  luxury.  When 
everything  is  properly  placed  the  genuflexions  begin  and 
the  request  is  presented.  If  the  answer  required  is  a  sim- 
ple affirmative  or  negative,  the  worshiper  drops  a  pair  of 
lenticular  pieces  of  wood  on  the  floor  a  number  of  times  and 
calculates  the  answer  from  the  frequency  with  which  each 

86 


CHINESE    TEMPLES.  8/ 

face  turns  up.  Another  method  of  obtaining  responses, 
particularly  when  fuller  responses  are  desired,  is  by  shak- 
ing a  box  filled  with  numbered  slips  of  bamboo,  one  of 
which  will  fall  out,  and  then  consulting  a  book  containing 
numbered  answers  in  Chinese  verse. 

The  interior  of  Chinese  temples  is  often  highly  decorated. 
The  walls  and  ceilings  are  hung  with  tablets  having  inscrip- 
tions in  the  Chinese  character,  and  there  are  often  rows  of 
lanterns  and  embroidered  silk  umbrellas.  Fine  wood  carv- 
ing is  also  to  be  seen.  The  decorations  are  the  gifts  of 
worshipers. 

Most  Chinese  temples  are  free  to  all.  No  register  is 
kept  of  members.  Of  the  four  temples  in  New  York  City 
one,  Chung- wa-kung-saw,  claims  7000  worshipers ;  Chap- 
sing- tong,  700;  Hok-san-kung-saw,  1000;  Lung-kong- 
kung-saw,  1000.  Chung- wa-kung-saw  is  an  organization 
in  which  every  Chinaman  in  New  York  is  supposed  to  be 
interested.  Chap-sing-tong  admits  laundrymen  only,  and 
the  other  temples  are  supported  by  those  who  come  from 
Hok-san  and  Lung-kong  respectively.  A  laundryman 
from  the  district  of  Hok-san  may  therefore  be  a  member 
of  three  of  the  temples.  For  this  reason  no  statistics  of 
members  can  be  given. 

Chinese  temples  are  usually  well  supported.  The  rev- 
enues are  derived  largely  from  the  privilege,  sold  at  auc- 
tion to  the  highest  bidder,  of  selling  the  articles  of  worship, 
which  every  worshiper  must  have.  Thus  the  privilege  of 
selling  for  the  Lung-kong-kung-saw  of  San  Francisco 
brought  in  1890  $12,365.50,  and  that  for  the  How-wang- 
mew  in  the  same  city  $3961.60. 

According  to  the  returns  of  population  there  are  107,475 
Chinese  in  the  United  States,  of  whom  72,472  are  in  Cali- 


88       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

fornia,  9540  in  Oregon,  3260  in  Washington,  and  2935, 
the  next  largest  number,  in  New  York.  In  view  of  the 
fact  that  one  of  the  four  temples  in  New  York  City  claims 
7000  worshipers,  while  the  whole  State  has  a  Chinese  pop- 
ulation of  less  than  3000,  there  would  seem  to  be  a  large 
discrepancy.  If  that  one  temple  has  7000  worshipers,  the 
number  of  visitors  must  be  greater  than  the  resident 
Chinese  population.  Doubtless  7000  is  the  number  that 
worship  in  the  temple  in  the  course  of  a  year.  In  other 
words,  the  same  individual  is  counted  many  times.  A 
considerable  number  of  the  Chinese  are  members  of  Chris- 
tian churches. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

California    

Organi- 
zations. 

4.O 

Tern- 
pies. 

4.1 

Shrines. 
178 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$17,000 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Idaho  

2 

2 

New  York  

4. 

•3 

2C.OOO 

Oreeon  . 

I 

I 

Total 47        47          182        $62,000 


'CHAPTER   VIII. 

THE   CHRISTADELPHIANS. 

JOHN  THOMAS,  M.D.,  an  Englishman,  came  to  this 
country  in  1844,  and  identified  himself  with  the  Disciples 
of  Christ.  Soon  after,  his  views  changed  and  he  became 
convinced  by  a  study  of  the  Bible  that  the  cardinal  doc- 
trine of  the  existing  churches  correspond  with  those  of 
the  apostate  church  predicted  in  Scripture.  He  began  to 
publish  his  views,  and  organized  a  number  of  societies  in 
this  country,  Canada,  and  Great  Britain.  No  name  was 
adopted  for  these  societies  until  the  Civil  War  broke  out. 
The  members  applied  to  the  government  to  be  relieved 
from  military  duty  in  consequence  of  conscientious  scru- 
ples, and  finding  it  necessary  to  have  a  distinctive  name, 
that  of  Christadelphians,  or  Brothers  of  Christ,  was  adopted. 

The  Christadelphians  do  not  accept  the  doctrine  of  the 
Trinity.  They  hold  that  Christ  was  Son  of  God  and  Son 
of  man,  manifesting  divine  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness 
in  working  out  man's  salvation  and  attaining  unto  power 
and  glory  by  his  resurrection.  He  is  the  only  medium  of 
salvation.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  an  effluence  of  divine  power. 
They  believe  in  the  natural  mortality  of  the  soul,  and  that 
eternal  life  is  only  given  by  God  to  the  righteous;  that 
the  devil  is  the  evil  principle  of  human  nature ;  that  Christ 
will  shortly  come  personally  to  the  earth  and  set  up  the 
kingdom  of  God  in  place  of  human  governments ;  that  this 

89 


9O       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 

kingdom  will  be  established  in  Canaan,  where  the  twelve 
tribes  of  Israel  will  be  gathered ;  and  that  at  the  end  of  a 
thousand  years  judgment  will  be  pronounced  upon  all,  the 
just  receiving  eternal  life,  the  unjust  eternal  death. 

The  Christadelphians  practice  immersion.  They  have 
no  ordained  ministers.  Those  who  speak  and  conduct 
services  are  called  "  lecturing "  or  "  serving "  brethren. 
Their  meetings  are  all  held,  with  four  exceptions,  in  public 
halls  or  private  houses.  They  have  in  all  63  organizations, 
with  1277  members,  who  are  scattered  over  twenty  States. 
There  are  59  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  6085. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Organi-    Church 
zations.   Edifices. 


California      

y 
2 

Colorado  

2 

Illinois  

8 

I 

Iowa          

r 

Kansas           

j 

Kentucky      

2 

I 

Maryland  

I 

Massachusetts  

Michigan   

I 

Missouri  

2 

New  Jersey  
New  York  

I 
7 

•• 

Ohio     

I 

Oregon  

I 

Pennsylvania  

7 

I 

Texas  

7 

Virginia  

4 

I 

West  Virginia  
Wisconsin  .  . 

I 
I 

Seating 
Ca- 

Value of 
Church 

Com- 
muni- 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 



74 

.  .  . 



30 

16 

IOO 

$500 

117 



67 



39 

4OO 

500 

89 



40 



245 



4 

... 



20 



90 



92 

.  .  . 



10 



25 

2OO 

700 

60 



IOO 

250 

J,OOO 

137 



7 



15 

Total 


950      $2,700        1,277 


CHAPTER   IX. 
I. — THE   CHRISTIANS. 

THIS  body,  which  is  commonly  known  as  the  Chris- 
tian Connection,  but  owns  only  the  simple  designation 
"  The  Christians,"  had  its  beginning  in  the  early  part  of 
the  present  century  in  the  union  of  three  distinct  move- 
ments :  one  in  which  Rev.  James  O'Kelley,  of  Virginia,  a 
Methodist,  was  prominent ;  another  in  which  Abner  Jones, 
M.D.,  of  Vermont,  a  Baptist,  was  first;  and  a  third  in 
which  Barton  W.  Stone,  and  other  Presbyterian  ministers 
in  Kentucky  and  Ohio,  cooperated.  These  three  move- 
ments, each  independent  and  unknown  to  the  leaders  of 
the  others  until  1806,  were  alike  in  taking  the  Bible  as  the 
only  rule  of  faith,  and  in  rejecting  Calvinism.  Mr.  Stone 
and  many  ministers  and  congregations  subsequently  united 
with  the  Disciples  of  Christ,  with  which  this  denomination 
is  often  confounded.  They  are  much  alike  in  many  re- 
spects ;  they  have  no  creeds,  taking  the  Bible  simply  as 
their  rule  of  faith  and  practice ;  they  emphasize  the  impor- 
tance of  the  union  of  all  believers  in  Christ ;  they  believe 
that  immersion  is  the  only  true  form  of  baptism  (a  few 
ministers  among  the  Christians  also  believe  that  sprinkling 
is  baptism),  and  that  believers  only  are  its  proper  subjects, 
rejecting  infant  baptism. 

The  Christians  make  difference  of  theological  views  no 
bar  to  membership.  Holding  to  the  inspiration  and  divine 

91 


92       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

authority  of  the  Bible,  they  allow  every  one  to  interpret  it 
for  himself.  They  believe  in  the  divinity  of  Christ  and  in 
his  preexistence,  and  that  he  made  atonement  for  the  sins 
of  all  men.  They  admit  to  the  communion  table  believers 
of  other  denominations,  and  also  receive  into  membership 
persons  who  do  not  believe  in  immersion. 

In  church  government  the  Connection  is  Congregational. 
It  has,  however,  annual  conferences,  composed  of  ministers 
and  lay  delegates  from  the  churches.  These  conferences 
receive  and  ordain  pastors,  but  they  can  pass  no  regulations 
binding  on  the  churches.  There  is  a  general  convention 
which  meets  once  every  four  years,  called  the  American 
Christian  Convention,  which  cares  for  the  missionary, 
educational,  and  other  general  interests  of  the  Church. 

At  the  General  Convention  held  in  Cincinnati  in  1854,  in 
consequence  of  the  adoption  of  resolutions  declaring  against 
slavery,  representatives  of  the  Southern  churches  withdrew, 
the  result  of  which  was  the  organization  of  the  Christian 
Church,  South.  The  two  bodies  have  agreed  upon  a  form 
of  union,  by  which  each  retains  its  general  conference. 

There  are  75  annual  conferences,  covering,  in  whole  or 
in  part,  twenty-four  States.  The  strongholds  of  the  de- 
nomination are  Ohio,  where  it  has  nearly  26,000  members, 
and  Indiana,  where  it  has  somewhat  less  than  20,000.  In 
all  there  are  90,718  members,  divided  among  1281  organi- 
zations or  congregations.  These  organizations  have  963 
church  edifices,  which  are  worth  $1,637,202.  The  average 
value  is  $1700,  and  the  average  seating  capacity  313. 
Halls  to  the  number  of  218,  with  a  seating  capacity  of 
24,725,  are  occupied  as  places  of  worship. 


THE   CHRISTIANS. 


93 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Arkansas  
Connecticut  
Illinois  
Indiana 

Organi- 
zations. 

6 

3 
104 

21/1 

Church 
Edifices. 

2 

4 

1  86 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

650 
540 
20,239 
64  660 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$1,600 

2,800 

63,135 
23O  Q21 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

181 

105 

5,745 

IQ  8^2 

Iowa 

14. 

•32 

94.6o 

*j^)y*3 
32  771 

2  111 

Kansas 

4.Q 

8 

1,  66l 

O^,//  3 
8.210 

1,676 

Kentucky        .... 

4.1 

JC 

1,610 

1.6ol 

2,  14.6 

Maine  
Massachusetts  .  .  . 
Michigan  
Missouri  

60 
28 
40 
3* 

28 

29 
29 

12 

7,690 
8,325 
7,975 
4,000 

ajvv^ 

76,380 
160,300 
62,200 
I2.7QI 

3,451 
2,722 

1,834 
1,627 

Nebraska  

4 

2 

475 

I,OOO 

148 

New  Hampshire  .  . 
New  Jersey 

23 

1C 

22 
JC 

6,178 

4.4.OO 

62,950 

66,700 

1,522 
1,4.80 

New  York  . 

1  2O 

IOQ 

28,710 

217,810 

7,120 

North  Carolina  .  . 
Ohio       

65 

273 

57 

247 

17,710 

8^,  IOC. 

23,055 

302,100 

4,896 

21,012 

Pennsylvania  .... 
Rhode  Island  
Texas 

^J 

1 

6 

54 
8 

17,060 
2,525 

98,500 
48,800 

3,219 
972 

118 

Vermont 

5" 

QOO 

Q  80O 

•J-2C 

Virginia 

21 

16 

4.  ,  ccn 

8.871 

I.3QO 

West  Virginia  ... 
Wisconsin 

II 

21 

8 
16 

i,775 

3,4.10 

u,u/5 
4,456 
1,011 

704 

170 

Total 1,281      963       301,692   $1,637,202     90,718 


2. — THE   CHRISTIAN    CHURCH,  SOUTH. 

In  consequence  of  the  adoption  by  the  General  Conven- 
tion of  Christians,  held  at  Cincinnati  in  1854,  of  resolutions 
opposed  to  slavery,  and  denouncing  it  as  an  evil,  the 
churches  of  the  South  withdrew  and  formed  a  separate 
organization.  The  Christian  Church,  South,  is  in  general 
agreement  in  doctrine  and  practice  with  the  Northern 
churches,  and  it  is  claimed  by  some  that  the  two  bodies 
are  now  practically  one. 


94       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

The  Southern  Church  is  strongest  in  North  Carolina  and 
Virginia.  It  has  five  annual  conferences,  with  143  organi- 
zations, 135  church  edifices,  valued  at  $138,000  and 
13,004  communicants.  The  average  seating  capacity  of 
the  edifices  is  341,  and  the  average  value  $1022.  Eight 
halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  750,  are  occupied. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Alabama  

Organi-    Church      S^nS 
zauons.    Edifices.      ^ 

IO              Q         4.,  IOO 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$c,  62  c. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

68? 

Georgia  

2              I              4OO 

coo 

07 

North  Carolina  .  .  . 

03        80     30,  ccs 

2 

74..OCO 

y/ 
7,84.0 

Virginia  

38        ^6     io,Qi;o 

17.221; 

4..  l8o 

Total 143       135     46,005     $138,000     13,004 

The  two  bodies  have  a  total  of  1424  organizations,  1098 
church  edifices,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  347,697  and 
a  value  of  $1,775,202,  and  103,722  communicants.  Both 
are  represented  in  only  two  States,  viz.,  North  Carolina 
and  Virginia. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE   CHRISTIAN   MISSIONARY  ASSOCIATION. 

THIS  association  represents,  in  Christian  work  in  Ken- 
tucky, a  number  of  churches,  without  name,  without  creed, 
and  without  any  ecclesiastical  system.  Each  church  is 
entirely  independent.  The  churches  claim  to  be  unsecta- 
rian.  The  first  was  organized  in  Berea  by  Mr.  John  G. 
Fee.  The  doctrines  preached  are  those  common  to  evan- 
gelical Christianity.  Immersion  is  held  to  be  the  proper 
form  of  baptism,  but  is  not  insisted  upon.  One  hall,  with 
a  seating  capacity  of  100,  is  occupied. 

SUMMARY. 

s 

c\,mn\       o,,,«.>,        Seating        Value  of  Com- 

STATK.  Or?ani-      ggF*  Ca-  Church  muni- 

zations.      Edifices.       padty          prop€rty.          cants. 

Kentucky 13          1 1          3,300      $3,900         754 


95 


CHAPTER   XI. 

THE   CHRISTIAN   SCIENTISTS. 

CHRISTIAN  SCIENTISTS  are  those  who  believe  that  all 
ills  of  body  and  all  evils  of  whatever  nature  are  subject  to 
the  healing  power  of  mind  or  spirit. 

Mrs.  Mary  Baker  G.  Eddy,  of  Boston,  Mass.,  claims  to 
have  discovered  in  1866  and  introduced  in  1867  tne  "  first 
purely  metaphysical  system  of  healing  since  the  apostolic 
days."  She  began  in  that  year  to  impart  information  as 
to  the  principles  of  the  system.  Out  of  this  beginning  was 
developed  the  Massachusetts  Metaphysical  College,  which 
was  chartered  in  1881.  Mrs.  Eddy,  with  six  of  her  stu- 
dents, constituted  the  first  Christian  Scientist  association  in 
1876.  Three  years  later  a  Christian  Scientist  Church  was 
organized  in  Boston  with  26  members.  Mrs.  Eddy  was 
called  to  be  its  pastor  the  same  year,  and  accepted  the 
position.  In  1881  she  was  ordained.  Other  churches  and 
associations  sprang  up  in  different  parts  of  the  country,  and 
in  1886  a  National  Christian  Scientist  Association  was 
formed,  the  first  meeting  being  held  in  New  York  City. 
There  are  regular  churches,  with  pastors,  in  thirty- three 
States,  and  Sunday  services  are  held  in  numerous  places 
where  churches  have  not  been  organized.  There  are 
also  thirty  or  more  Christian  Science  dispensaries.  The 
organ  of  the  denomination,  The  Christian  Science  Journal 
(monthly),  publishes  many  columns  of  cards  of  practition- 
ers of  the  science  of  mind  healing. 

96 


THE  CHRISTIAN  SCIENTISTS.  97 

The  principles  of  Christian  Science  have  been  set  forth 
authoritatively  by  Mrs.  Eddy.  According  to  her  state- 
ments, all  consciousness  is  mind,  and  mind  is  God.  There 
is  but  one  mind,  and  that  is  the  divine  mind.  This  is  in- 
finite good,  which  supplies  all  mind  by  reflection  instead 
of  subdivision.  God  is  reflected,  not  divided.  Soul  is 
spirit,  and  spirit  is  God.  There  is  but  one  soul,  and  that 
is  God.  The  flesh  is  evil,  not  the  soul.  Soul  is  "  sub- 
stance in  truth";  matter  is  "  substance  in  error."  Soul, 
spirit,  or  mind  is  not  evil,  nor  is  it  mortal.  Life  is  eternal. 
It  implies  God.  Whatever  errs  is  mortal,  and  is  a  depart- 
ure from  God.  Evil  is  simply  the  absence  of  good.  Evil 
is  unreal ;  good  only  is  real.  The  divine  mind  is  one  and 
indivisible,  and  therefore  never  out  of  harmony.  Man  is 
immortal,  being  coeternal  with  God.  The  divine  power  is 
able  to  bring  all  into  harmony  with  itself.  Hence  Christian 
Science  says  to  all  manner  of  disease :  "  Know  that  God 
is  all-power  and  all-presence,  and  there  is  nothing  beside 
him,  and  the  sick  are  healed."  "  Sickness  is  a  belief,  a 
latent  fear,  made  manifest  in  the  body  in  different  forms 
of  fear  or  disease.  This  fear  is  formed  unconsciously  in 
the  silent  thought."  It  is  to  be  dissipated  by  actual  con- 
sciousness of  the  "  truth  of  science  "  that  man's  harmony 
is  no  more  to  be  invaded  than  the  rhythm  of  the  universe. 
Suffering  exists  only  in  the  "  mortal  mind  "  ;  "  matter  has 
no  sensation,  and  cannot  suffer."  "  If  you  rule  out  every 
sense  of  disease  and  suffering  from  mortal  mind,  it  cannot 
be  found  in  the  body."  All  drugs  are  to  be  avoided. 
The  only  means  of  cure  proposed  by  Christian  Science  is 
spiritual.  Sin,  like  sickness  and  death,  is  unreal.  In  order 
to  cure  it  the  sinner's  belief  in  its  reality  must  be  over- 
thrown. 


98       RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

The  denomination  has  only  7  church  edifices.  Meet- 
ings are  held  in  213  halls,  which  have  a  seating  capacity 
of  19,690. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

)rgani- 

£££       SeSing           SJSJf 

Com- 
muni- 

pacity.         Property. 

cants. 

California  

8 

814 

Colorado  

4 

147 

Connecticut  

4 

75 

Delaware  

i 

3 

District  of  Columbia 

i 

15 

Florida  

2 

33 

Georgia  

2 

' 

40 

Illinois  

13 

I               300            $2,126 

1,271 

Indiana  

5 

900 

134 

Iowa  

22 

i          300          5,200 

640 

Kansas  

15 

300 

424 

Maine  

2 

60 

Massachusetts  

IO 

15,000 

499 

Michigan  

6 

125 

Minnesota  

10 

2OO 

264 

Missouri  

9 

3°° 

374 

Nebraska  

20 

i           loo             365 

650 

New  Hampshire  

3 

54 

New  Jersey  

2 

IOO 

35 

New  York  

28 

1,268 

North  Dakota  

I 

75 

Ohio  

14 

3           650        14,000 

564 

Oklahoma  

I 

16 

Oregon  

3 

62 

Pennsylvania  

5 

155 

Rhode  Island  

i 

75 

South  Dakota  

2 

33 

Tennessee  

I 

3 

Texas  

5 

112 

Utah  

i 

IOO 

Vermont  

2 

40 

Washington  

2 

90 

Wisconsin  

16 

I        150       2,025 

474 

Total 221 


7        1,500      $40,666      8,724 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE  CHRISTIAN   UNION   CHRUCHES. 

THIS  body,  which  is  now  called  the  Independent 
Churches  of  Christ  in  Christian  Union,  was  organized  in 
Ohio  during  the  first  years  of  the  Civil  War.  Elder  J.  V. 
B.  Flack  was  one  of  the  most  prominent  leaders  of  the 
movement,  which  was  outspoken  in  opposition  to  the  war. 
They  believed  that  it  had  been  "  produced  by  an  unwar- 
rantable meddling  both  North  and  South,  and  great  injus- 
tice and  insane  haste  on  the  part  of  extreme  leaders  in  both 
sections.'*  They  were  opposed  to  the  introduction  of  poli- 
tics into  the  pulpit,  and  withdrew  from  existing  denomina- 
tions because  they  could  not  tolerate  what  they  regarded 
as  political  preaching.  Elder  Flack  declared  that  he  was 
persecuted  by  the  ministers  and  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  in  which  he  was  a  pastor.  Writing  of 
the  matter  some  years  later,  he  said : 

"  We  refused  to  vote  in  the  conference  for  resolutions 
of  war.  We  refused  to  pray  for  the  success  of  war.  We 
refused  to  bring  politics  into  our  pulpit.  We  refused  to 
join  in  the  ranks  that  marched  on  the  streets  at  war  meet- 
ings. We  refused  to  make  certain  war  speeches.  We 
refused  to  prefer  charges  against  members  of  the  church 
whom  the  fanatics  accuse  of  being  disloyal.  We  refused 
to  preside  at  forced  trials  of  good  men  who  were  tried  for 
political  opinions." 

99 


100    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

He  claimed  that  on  account  of  taking  this  attitude  he 
was  severely  persecuted,  and  led  to  withdraw  from  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  1863.  He  preached  to 
various  companies  of  men  and  women  after  his  withdrawal 
from  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church ;  but  the  first  church 
of  the  new  denomination  was  organized  by  the  Rev.  Ira 
Norris,  at  Lacon,  111.,  late  in  1863  or  early  in  1864.  At  a 
convention  held  in  Columbus,  O.,  in  February,  1864,  per- 
sons representing  five  different  denominations  being  pres- 
ent, the  foundation  of  the  new  denomination  was  laid. 
The  principles  of  the  Christian  Union  are  in  brief  as  fol- 
lows: 

1.  The  oneness  of  the  Church  of  Christ. 

2.  Christ  the  only  head. 

3.  The  Bible  the  rule  of  faith  and  practice. 

4.  Good  fruits  the  only  condition  of  membership. 

5.  Christian  union  without  controversy. 

6.  Each  local  church  self-governing. 

7.  Partisan  preaching  discountenanced. 

The  church  claims  to  be  non-partisan,  non-sectarian, 
and  non-denominational.  It  aims  to  furnish  a  basis  for  the 
union  of  all  true  believers  by  making  its  organization  as 
simple  as  possible  and  by  eliminating  from  its  system  con- 
troversial questions  in  doctrine  and  polity.  It  has  294 
congregations,  183  church  edifices  valued  at  $234,500,  and 
18,214  communicants;  105  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity 
of  14,705,  are  occupied  as  meeting- places.  For  many 
years  prior  to  the  census  of  1890  its  membership  was  esti- 
mated at  over  100,000  by  Elder  Flack  and  others. 


THE   CHRISTIAN  UNION  CHURCKE3.  1O1 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  ol 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Arkansas  

4 

IOI 

Colorado  

12 

571 

Florida  

I 

50 

Illinois  

6 

4 

1,450 

$3,850 

206 

Indiana  

26 

21 

7,600 

25,700 

i,599 

Indian  Territory  .... 

3 

130 

Iowa  

3i 

2O 

6,850 

21,500 

1,258 

Kansas  

16 

4 

1,250 

4,600 

495 

Kentucky  

5 

i 

300 

1,000 

443 

Maryland  

i 

i 

350 

1,000 

IS 

Michigan  

8 

3 

1,650 

12,000 

43°" 

Missouri  

56 

3i 

13,500 

39,050 

3,926 

New  Hampshire  

2 

i 

400 

4,000 

102 

Ohio  

103 

94 

33^50 

114,350 

8,002 

Rhode  Island  

I 

i 

300 

3,500 

50 

Tennessee  

8 

2 

800 

1,400 

376 

Texas  

6 

190 

Vermont  

5 

I 

300 

2,500 

264 

Total 294      184     68,000    $234,450     18,214 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD. 

JOHN  WlNEBRENNER,  the  founder  of  this  denomina- 
tion, which  in  doctrine,  polity,  and  usage  resembles  both 
the  Baptist  and  Methodist  Churches,  became  a  member  of 
the  first  Reformed  German  Church,  Philadelphia,  in  1817, 
and  three  years  later  pastor  of  a  church  of  the  same 
denomination  in  Harrisburg.  There  were  four  congrega- 
tions under  his  care.  Under  his  plain  and  pungent  preach- 
ing a  revival  of  religion  began,  the  progress  of  which  was 
opposed.  The  opposition  continued  five  years  or  more, 
resulting  in  a  separation  from  the  church.  The  revival 
extended  into  various  parts  of  Pennsylvania  and  even 
into  Maryland,  and  hundreds  of  persons  were  converted. 
These  persons  were  organized  into  separate  churches. 
Meanwhile,  Elder  Winebrenner,  after  a  careful  study  of 
the  Bible,  had  changed  his  views  respecting  points  of  doc- 
trine and  polity.  In  1830  he,  with  Andrew  Miller,  John 
Eliot,  John  Walborn,  David  Maxwell,  and  James  Richards, 
who  were  recognized  as  teaching  elders,  met  in  conference 
and  agreed  upon  a  basis  of  church  organization.  The  fol- 
lowing are  the  leading  principles : 

i.  That  the  believers  in  any  given  locality  according  to 
the  divine  order  are  to  constitute  one  body.  The  division 
of  believers  into  sects  and  parties  under  human  names  and 
creeds  is  contrary  to  the  spirit  and  letter  of  the  New 

102 


THE   CHURCH  OF  GOD.  103 

Testament,  and  constitutes  the  most  powerful  barrier  to 
the  success  of  Christianity. 

2.  That  the  believers  of  any  community  organized  into 
one  body  constitute  God's  household  or  family,  and  should 
be  known  by  the  name  of  the  Church  of  God. 

3.  That  the  Scriptures  without  note  or  comment  consti- 
tute a  sufficient  rule  of  faith  and  practice.     Creeds  and 
confessions  tend  to  divisions  and  sects. 

4.  That  there  are  three  ordinances  binding  upon  all  be- 
lievers;  namely,  immersion  in  water  in  the  name  of  the 
Trinity,  the  washing  of  the  saints'  feet,  and  the  partaking 
of  bread  and  wine  in  commemoration  of  the  sufferings  and 
death  of  Christ. 

Upon  the  basis  of  these  principles  the  denomination  was 
organized,  the  first  conference  being  held  in  1831. 

The  conferences  of  the  Church  of  God,  of  which  there 
are  several,  are  held  annually,  and  are  called  elderships. 
There  is  a  general  conference  or  general  eldership  which 
meets  triennially.  This  is  the  chief  legislative  and  judicial 
body.  The  presiding  officer  of  an  annual  eldership,  or  of 
the  general  eldership,  is  called  the  Speaker.  There  are 
itinerant  and  local  ministers  and  exhorters,  as  in  Method- 
ism, and  the  weaker  congregations  are  organized  into  cir- 
cuits. The  itinerant  ministers  are  appointed  to  pastorates 
by  stationing  committees  of  the  annual  elderships. 

The  Church  of  God  is  represented  in  fourteen  States 
and  the  Indian  Territory.  Its  chief  strength,  however, 
lies  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  where  it  originated. 
Fully  one  half  of  its  total  communicants  are  to  be  found  in 
Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  and  Indiana.  It  has  sixteen  annual 
elderships.  There  are  479  organizations  in  all,  with  338 
church  edifices,  having  an  average  seating  capacity  of  342 


104    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

and  an  average  value  of  $1902.     There  are  129  halls,  with 
a  seating  capacity  of  13,840. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Arkansas.    .  . 

Organi- 
zations. 

IO 

Church 
Edifices 

I 

Seating 
'      pacity. 
2OO 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$5OO 

Com- 

muni- 
cants. 

577 

Illinois 

36 

•55 

IO  725 

jl  1 

Indiana 

•12 

5^500 

2  575 

Indian  Territory  .  . 
Iowa  . 

18 

II 
IO 

1,285 

•a.  275 

I,20O 
T  ?  /LOO 

811 
683 

Kansas 

26 

6 

I.75O 

7.3OO 

Maine  

7 

75 

Maryland 

21 

20 

5.8OO 

25.7OO 

816 

M  assach  usetts 

I 

20 

Michigan 

16 

IO 

•7.4.25 

8.3OO 

37-7 

Missouri 

7 

I.3OO 

4  .IOO 

221 

Nebraska 

2 

4.OO 

I.QOO 

•302 

Ohio 

66 

24..  575 

QQ.  55O 

3  .'3,52 

Pennsylvania 

162 

4.8.58O 

904/1 

West  Virginia 

..         26 

8 

3,300 

10,700 

881 

Total  ..........     479 


"5.S3O    $643,185     22,511 


CHAPTER   XIV. 
THE   CHURCH   TRIUMPHANT   (SCHWEINFURTH). 

THE  founder  and  head  of  this  body  is  George  Jacob 
Schweinfurth,  who  was  born  in  Marion  County,  O.,  in 
1853.  He  entered  the  ministry  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church  in  Michigan,  but  soon  left  it  and  became  a 
disciple  of  Mrs.  Beekman,  who,  before  her  death,  which 
occurred  in  1883,  declared  herself  the  "  spiritual  mother  of 
Christ  in  the  second  coming,"  and  pronounced  Schwein- 
furth the  "  Messiah  of  the  New  Dispensation."  He  ac- 
cordingly became  the  acknowledged  head  of  her  follow- 
ers, and  removed  the  headquarters  of  the  sect  from  Byron, 
nine  miles  from  Rockford,  111.,  to  the  Weldon  farm,  six 
miles  from  Rockford,  changing  the  name  of  the  body  to 
the  Church  Triumphant.  A  large  frame  house,  called 
"  Mount  Zion  "  or  "  Heaven,"  is  occupied  by  Schweinfurth 
and  a  number  of  his  disciples.  There  are  also  other  com- 
panies, each  of  which  is  presided  over  by  an  "  apostle," 
who  reads  weekly  the  sermons  previously  delivered  by 
Schweinfurth  at  Mount  Zion.  There  are  no  rites,  cere- 
monies, or  forms  of  worship.  The  single  condition  of 
membership  is  recognition  of  Schweinfurth  as  the  "  Christ 
of  the  Second  Coming  "  and  discipleship. 

The  Church  Triumphant  accepts  the  Bible  as  the  Word 
of  God,  but  denies  the  essential  divinity  of  Christ.  He 
was  a  mere  man,  but  passed  through  an  experience  in 

105 


106    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

which  he  was  freed  from  the  power  and  curse  of  sin,  after 
which  he  received  the  Spirit  of  God  and  became  divine. 
Schweinfurth  does  not  claim  to  be  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  but 
to  have  received  the  same  Spirit  and  to  be  equal  to  him. 
He  claims  to  be  sinless,  to  perform  miracles,  and  to  be  able 
to  bestow  the  Spirit  on  whomsoever  he  chooses.  He  also 
declares  his  power  over  sin,  not  only  to  save  from  its  curse 
but  to  save  from  its  commission. 

There  are  in  all  12  organizations  and  384  members.  All 
the  services  are  held  in  private  houses  with  one  exception, 
Mount  Zion  being  returned  as  a  hall. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

.  .  „  .          I 

Halls, 
etc. 

I 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

12 

Illinois  

E 

e 

$15  ooo 

IQO 

Kentucky  

....          I 

I 

2? 

Michigan  

....         2 

2 

Minnesota 

2 

2 

ICO 

ICO 

Missouri  . 

I 

I 

2O 

Total 12        12          ico          $15,000        384 


CHAPTER  XV. 

CHURCH   OF  THE  NEW  JERUSALEM. 

THE  theological  writings  of  Emanuel  Swedenborg,  born 
in  Stockholm,  Sweden,  in  1688,  died  in  London,  England,  in 
1 772,  led  to  the  organization  of  the  New  Jerusalem  Church. 
Its  members  are  often  spoken  of  as  Swedenborgians.  He 
was  called,  according  to  his  own  words,  "  to  a  holy  office 
by  the  Lord  himself,  who  most  mercifully  appeared  before 
me,  his  servant,  in  the  year  1743,  when  he  opened  my 
sight  into  the  spiritual  world,  and  enabled  me  to  converse 
with  spirits  and  angels."  From  that  time  he  began  to 
"  publish  the  various  arcana  "  or  sacred  truths,  seen  by  or 
revealed  to  him,  "  concerning  heaven  and  hell,  the  state  of 
man  after  death,  the  true  worship  of  God,  the  spiritual 
sense  of  the  Word,  and  many  other  important  matters  con- 
ducive to  salvation  and  wisdom."  His  voluminous  religious 
works  contain  the  body  of  doctrine  to  which  his  followers 
adhere.  The  greater  portion  of  them  consist  of  the  expo- 
sition of  the  spiritual  meaning  of  the  Scriptures. 

The  first  meeting  for  organization  was  held  in  London 
in  1783,  eleven  years  after  his  death.  The  next  year  his 
teachings  were  set  forth  in  Boston  and  Philadelphia,  and  a 
congregation  was  established  in  Baltimore  in  1792.  This 
was  the  beginning  of  the  church  in  this  country.  It  was 
gradually  established  in  other  cities  and  towns,  and  is 
represented  now  in  twenty-nine  States,  besides  the  Dis- 

107 


IO8    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 

trict  of  Columbia.  It  has  154  organizations,  and  7095 
members  or  communicants,  more  than  a  fourth  of  whom 
are  to  be  found  in  Massachusetts. 

The  doctrines  of  the  New  Jerusalem  Church  declare  that 
God  is  one  in  essence,  person,  and  nature,  manifesting 
himself  as  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit — the  Father  being 
the  infinite  divine  essence,  the  Son  the  human  organization 
with  which  the  Father  clothed  himself  to  accomplish  the 
redemption  of  mankind  when  immersed  in  sin,  and  the 
Spirit  being  the  divine  power  flowing  forth  into  act ;  that 
the  Lord  accomplished  this  redemption  by  fighting  against 
and  overcoming  the  infernal  hosts  which  had  long  enslaved 
mankind,  and  restoring  man  to  spiritual  freedom ;  that  life 
is  not  created,  only  the  forms  which  receive  it,  man's  mind 
and  body  being  organic  forms  for  the  reception  of  life, 
which  is  maintained  by  the  constant  conjunction  of  man 
and  God ;  that  man  has  a  spiritual  body  which  is  fitted  to 
receive  and  manifest  the  divine  forces,  and  the  mind  or 
spirit  constitutes  this  spiritual  body ;  that  the  material 
body  is  only  the  husk,  so  to  speak,  and  its  death  is  caused 
by  man's  resurrection  from  it ;  that  the  spiritual  world  is  a 
substantial  world,  the  realm  of  causes,  and  exists  in  three 
divisions — heaven,  the  world  of  spirits,  and  hell ;  that  the 
world  of  spirits,  which  all  enter  immediately  after  death, 
is  the  place  of  preparation  for  heaven  or  for  hell,  according 
to  the  character  brought  into  it ;  that  the  life  in  this  inter- 
mediate state  is  similar  to  the  one  in  this  world,  except 
that  it  is  not  a  life  of  probation,  but  a  life  devoted  to  bring- 
ing discordant  elements  in  man's  nature  into  harmony,  and 
to  receiving  instruction ;  that  gradually  the  scene  changes 
and  men  rise  to  heaven  or  sink  to  hell,  drawn  by  the  irre- 
sistible affinities  of  their  true  character ;  that  hell  is  not  a 


CHURCH  OF  THE  NEW  JERUSALEM.  109 

place  or  state  of  constant  punishment,  but  its  inhabitants 
have  all  the  enjoyments  of  which  their  perverted  nature  is 
capable,  living  under  restraint  of  penalties  which  follow 
every  violation  of  law;  that  heaven  is  a  place  of  useful 
activity,  in  which  each  finds  his  appropriate  sphere  of 
action  and  happiness,  and  becomes  subject  to  the  process 
of  perfectibility  which  goes  on  forever ;  that  in  the  Script- 
ures there  is  a  spiritual  principle  or  fact  corresponding  to 
every  natural  act  and  object  they  record,  a  spiritual  mean- 
ing distinct  from,  yet  harmonizing  with  and  based  upon, 
the  natural  meaning  of  every  word  and  sentence;  that 
while  the  books  of  the  Bible  were  written  through  various 
authors,  each  in  his  own  natural  style,  it  is  nevertheless, 
by  virtue  of  the  infinite  store  of  truth  within  it,  a  divine 
book,  the  Lord  himself  being  its  author.  This  view  of  the 
Bible  is  one  of  the  chief  distinctions  of  Swedenborgian 
belief. 

The  organization  of  the  New  Jerusalem  Church  is  a 
modified  Episcopacy,  each  society  being,  however,  free  to 
manage  its  own  affairs.  There  are  associations  of  societies, 
generally  conforming  to  State  lines,  and  a  general  conven- 
tion composed  of  representatives  of  the  associations,  and 
also  of  a  number  of  societies  which  have  no  associational 
connection.  The  service  is  generally  liturgical.  A  variety 
of  liturgies  are  in  use  in  the  different  congregations  or 
societies ;  the  greater  number,  however,  use  the  "  Book  of 
Worship,"  published  by  the  General  Convention.  Three 
orders  are  recognized  in  the  ministry.  In  connection  with 
each  association  there  is  a  general  pastor,  who  bears  the 
same  relation  to  the  association  that  a  pastor  does  to  a 
society.  There  are  also  pastors  of  societies,  and  preachers 
not  yet  in  full  orders. 


HO    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 

The  average  seating  capacity  of  the  church  edifices  is 
236,  and  their  average  value  $15,755;  70  halls,  with  a 
seating  capacity  of  7165,  are  used  as  meeting-places. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Arkansas  

I 

I 

4OO 

$55 

3 

California  

12 

3 

750 

41,500 

347 

Colorado  

2 

i 

40 

2,500 

4i 

Connecticut  

I 

28 

Delaware  

I 

i 

2OO 

12,000 

50 

District  of  Columbia  . 

I 



93 

Florida  

3 

. 

30 

Georgia  

2 

i 

180 

9,000 

48 

Illinois  

14 

10 

1,895 

163,700 

641 

Indiana  

4 

4 

95° 

16,500 

104 

Iowa  

6 

3 

495 

6,200 

138 

Kansas  

3 

i 

75 

5,000 

62 

Kentucky  

i 

61 

Maine  

4 

3 

1,125 

33,000 

289 

Maryland  

9 

4 

1,215 

44,600 

244 

Massachusetts  

22 

18 

5,025 

368,500 

1,684 

Michigan  

5 

4 

975 

34,6oo 

163 

Minnesota  

2 

2 

250 

29,000 

80 

Missouri  

5 

4 

800 

24,600 

309 

New  Hampshire  

i 

42 

New  Jersey  

6 

4 

800 

24,500 

323 

New  York  

ii 

5 

i,35o 

192,900 

560 

Ohio  

13 

8 

1,625 

103,500 

657 

Oregon  

2 

i 

100 

300 

45 

Pennsylvania  

13 

4 

i,  600 

230,500 

774 

Rhode  Island  

3 

3 

610 

39,000 

130 

Tennessee  

3 

i 

75 

500 

64 

Texas  

i 

i 

200 

4,000 

40 

Virginia  

i 

i 

75 

500 

2 

Wisconsin  

2 

•- 

43 

Total 


154        88     20,810     $1,386,455     7,095 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

COMMUNISTIC   SOCIETIES. 

ALL  societies  observing  the  communal  life,  whether 
founded  on  a  religious  or  secular  basis,  are  embraced  in 
these  returns.  Two  of  the  societies  are  not  religious,  the 
Icarian  and  the  Altruist,  but  it  was  deemed  best  not  to 
omit  them,  on  the  technical  ground  that  they  are  not  or- 
ganized to  practice  a  faith,  but  to  apply  a  social  principle. 

There  are  nine  societies  which  properly  come  under  this 
head.  One  of  these,  the  Bruederhoef  Mennonite,  is  omitted 
in  this  chapter  because  it  is  given  in  that  on  the  Mennonites. 
The  other  societies  are  these : 

1.  Shakers,  5.  New  Icaria, 

2.  Amana,  6.  Altruists, 

3.  Harmony,  7.  Adonai  Shomo, 

4.  Separatists,  8.  Church  Triumphant 

(Koreshan  Ecclesia). 

I. — THE   SOCIETY   OF   SHAKERS. 

The  oldest  of  all  existing  communities  in  the  United 
States  is  that  of  the  Shakers,  or,  more  accurately,  "The 
Millennial  Church,  or  United  Society  of  Believers."  Their 
first  community  was  organized  at  Mount  Lebanon,  N.  Y., 
in  1792. 

They  count  themselves  as  followers  of  Ann  Lee,  an 
English  woman,  who  was  born  in  1736  in  Manchester  and 

in 


112     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

died  in  1 784  in  this  country.  They  revere  "  Mother  Ann," 
as  she  was  called,  as  'the  second  appearance  of  Christ  on 
earth.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Society  of  Quakers,  and 
in  a  persecution  which  arose  against  them  was  cast  into 
prison.  While  in  prison  she  saw  Christ  and  had  a  special 
divine  revelation,  which  showed  her  that  the  only  way 
mankind  could  be  restored  to  the  proper  relation  to  God 
was  by  leading  a  celibate  life.  She  came  to  this  country 
in  1774  and  settled  at  Watervliet,  N.  Y.,  in  1775,  and  died 
there.  The  popular  designation  "  Shakers  "  was  first  used 
in  England.  Those  Quakers  who  joined  "  Mother  Ann  " 
were  noted  for  "  unusual  and  violent  manifestations  of 
religious  fervor,"  and  were  therefore  spoken  of  as  "  Shak- 
ing Quakers."  Hence  the  term  "  Shakers." 

The  Shakers  are  strict  celibates,  have  a  uniform  style 
of  dress,  and  use  the  words  "yea"  and  "nay,"  but  not 
"thee"  or  "thou."  They  are  spiritualists,  holding  that 
there  is  a  "  most  intricate  connection  and  the  most  con- 
stant communion  between  themselves  and  the  inhabitants 
of  the  world  of  spirits."  They  believe,  as  already  stated, 
that  the  second  coming  of  Christ  is  past,  and  that  they 
constitute  the  true  Church,  and  that  "  revelation,  spiritual- 
ism, celibacy,  oral  confession,  community,  non-resistance, 
peace,  the  gift  of  healing,  miracles,  physical  health,  and 
separation  from  the  world  are  the  foundations  of  the  new 
heavens."  They  reject  the  trinitarian  conception  of  God, 
holding  that  he  is  a  dual  person,  male  and  female,  and  that 
the  distinction  of  sex  inheres  in  the  soul  and  is  eternal. 
Christ,  they  believe,  first  appeared  in  Jesus  as  a  male  and 
then  in  Ann  Lee  as  a  female.  They  worship  only  God. 

Both  sexes  are  represented  in  the  ministry.  Religious 
services,  held  on  Sunday,  consist  of  exhortation,  singing, 


COMMUNISTIC  SOCIETIES.  113 

and  marching  and  dancing  to  music.     There  is  little  audi- 
ble prayer. 

There  are  15  communities  of  Shakers — 3  each  in  Ohio 
and  Massachusetts,  2  each  in  Kentucky,  Maine,  New 
Hampshire,  and  New  York,  and  I  in  Connecticut.  They 
have  1 6  church  edifices,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  5650, 
or  an  average  of  353,  and  a  valuation  of  $36,800,  or  an 
average  of  $2300.  The  number  of  members  is  1728.  In 
1875,  according  to  NordhofFs  "Communistic  Societies," 
they  had  18  communities  and  2415  members.  This  indi- 
cates that  they  are  decreasing. 


Total 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Connecticut 

Kentucky  

Maine 

Massachusetts  .... 
New  Hampshire  . . 

New  York 

Ohio  ., 


pni- 
ions. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Searing 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

I 

I 

40O 

$5,000 

100 

2 

2 

700 

1,900 

371 

2 

2 

1,000 

5,000 

100 

3 

4 

1,000 

5,800 

129 

2 

2 

700 

1,500 

250 

2 

2 

1,100 

12,000 

575 

3 

3 

750 

5,600 

203 

16         5,650     $36,800       1,728 


2. — THE    A.MANA   SOCIETY. 

This  society  calls  its  organizations,  of  which  there  are 
seven,  "True  Inspiration  Congregations."  The  commu- 
nity is  confined  to  Iowa  County,  la.,  where  its  members 
exist  in  seven  towns.  They  came  from  Germany  in  1842 
and  settled  near  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  whence  they  removed  thir- 
teen years  later  to  their  present  location  in  Iowa.  They 
are  a  religious  rather  than  an  industrial  community,  and 


114     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 

are  devoted  Bible  readers,  believing  that  all  parts  of  the 
Book  are  inspired.  They  hold  to  the  Trinity,  to  justifi- 
cation by  faith,  to  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  but  not  to 
eternal  punishment.  The  wicked  are  to  be  purified  in  fire. 
They  do  not  observe  the  sacrament  of  baptism,  but  make 
much  of  that  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  which,  however,  is  cele- 
brated not  oftener  than  once  in  two  years.  They  believe 
that  an  era  of  inspiration  began  at  the  opening  of  the  eight- 
eenth century,  the  Holy  Ghost  revealing  the  secrets  of  the 
heart  and  conscience  to  messengers  or  new  prophets.  The 
elders  or  ministers  are  guided  by  the  spirit  of  inspiration, 
and  the  community  has  at  its  head  some  one  (at  one  time 
it  was  a  woman)  who  is  under  the  direct  inspiration  of  God. 
There  are  three  orders  of  members :  the  highest,  the  mid- 
dle, and  the  lowest  or  children's  order.  They  hold  relig- 
ious services  every  evening,  and  also  on  Sunday,  Wednes- 
day, and  Saturday  mornings.  The  general  meeting  is  held 
Saturday  morning;  the  other  meetings  are  mostly  for 
prayer. 

SUMMARY. 

Searing  Value  of  Com- 

lowa 7  22          2,800        $15,000       1, 600 

3. — THE   HARMONY   SOCIETY. 

The  founder  of  this  society  was  George  Rapp,  who  was 
born  in  Germany  in  1757  and  died  in  Economy,  Pa.,  in 
1847.  His  followers  are  celibates,  having  adopted  this 
rule  early  in  the  present  century,  and  follow  the  example 
of  patriarchal  rule  set  in  the  Old  Testament  and  hold  to  a 
community  of  property.  They  are  literalists  in  interpret- 


COMMUNISTIC  SOCIETIES.  115 

ing  the  Scriptures,  and  they  believe  that  the  millennium 
is  near  at  hand  and  that  all  mankind  will  ultimately  be 
saved,  those  who  marry  being  classified  with  the  number 
who  will  have  to  undergo  a  probation  of  purification.  They 
do  not  believe  in  spiritualism.  They  observe  as  holy  days 
Christmas,  Good  Friday,  Easter,  and  Pentecost.  They 
celebrate  the  Lord's  Supper  annually  in  October.  The 
town  of  Economy  is  described  by  Nordhoff  as  a  "  trim, 
well-kept  village."  The  society  has  one  organization,  one 
church  edifice,  valued  at  $10,000,  and  250  members. 


SUMMARY. 

Organi-         Church         ******  Value  °f  Cow: 

zations         Edifices             C?'  Church  muni- 

pacity.  Property.  cants. 

Pennsylvania I              i            500  $10,000  250 


4.  —  THE   SOCIETY   OF   SEPARATISTS. 

The  Separatists  originated  in  Germany.  They  settled 
at  Zoar,  O.,  in  1817  and  adopted  communal  life  in  1819. 
They  were  called  Separatists  in  Germany  because  they 
separated  from  the  State  church,  in  the  belief  that  they 
could  thus  enjoy  a  more  spiritual  faith.  They  reject  relig- 
ious ceremonies.  Marriages  are  allowed  but  not  favored. 
They  are  entered  upon  by  a  civil  compact,  there  being  no 
religious  celebration.  Their  Sunday  services  do  not  include 
public  prayer. 

SUMMARY. 


Church  Cojn- 

Edifices.          padty          Property. 


Ohio  .............         i  i  500         $3,000        200 


Il6    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


5. — THE  NEW   ICARIA   SOCIETY. 

The  New  Icaria  Society  was  organized  in  1879.  It  has 
no  creed  but  "  rationalism  founded  on  observation,"  and 
opposes  all  "  anti-scientific  revelations."  Marriage  is  ap- 
proved. The  system  of  rule  is  democratic.  The  society 
has  disbanded  since  the  census. 

SUMMARY. 


Sffir  £K      -g    crc    SSL 

zations.        Edifices.          padty  Property.     .  cants. 


Iowa 


21 


6. — THE   SOCIETY   OF  ALTRUISTS. 


The  Altruists,  like  the  New  Icarians,  are  non-sectarian. 
The  principles  of  the  community  are  thus  expressed : 

"  It  holds  the  property  of  all  its  members  in  common, 
and  all  work  according  to  their  ability  and  are  supplied 
according  to  their  wants,  and  live  together  in  a  common 
home  for  their  mutual  assistance  and  support  and  to  secure 
their  greatest  wealth,  comfort,  and  enjoyment.  It  allows 
equal  rights  and  privileges  to  all  its  members,  both  men 
and  women,  in  all  its  business  affairs,  which  are  conducted 
in  accordance  with  their  majority  vote  by  its  officers  who 
are  thereby  elected ;  and  it  makes  no  interference  with  the 
marriage  or  family  affairs  of  its  members,  nor  with  their 
religious,  political,  or  other  opinions." 

SUMMARY. 

m.      v         Seating          Value  of         Com- 

RH'fi  Ca-  Church  muni- 

Edlfices-         pacity.          Property.        cants. 

Missouri I  . .  25 


COMMUNISTIC  SOCIETIES.  117 


7. — THE   ADONAI   SHOMO. 

This  community  was  organized  and  legally  established 
as  a  corporation  in  1876  in  Petersham,  Mass.  At  its  organ- 
ization it  had  1 1  members.  It  came  out  of  the  Adventist 
movement.  Its  leading  principles  are  faith  in  Christ  as 
the  Son  of  God,  and  a  community  of  goods.  All  members, 
male  and  female,  have  an  equal  voice  in  matters  of  govern- 
ment and  property.  There  is  a  common  treasury,  whence 
individual  needs  are  supplied.  All  labor  for  the  common 
maintenance,  agriculture  being  the  chief  industry. 

SUMMARY. 

rwrr,  n,,,^o^        Seating  Value  of  Com- 

Or?ani-      T?^rch  Ca-  Church  muni- 

zabons.       Edifices.  Property.  cants. 


Massachusetts I  . .  $6,000          20 

8. — THE  CHURCH  TRIUMPHANT   (KORESHAN   ECCLESIA). 

The  founder  of  this  body  is  Cyrus  Teed.  Cyrus  in 
Hebrew  is  Koresh;  hence  the  terms  Koreshan  Ecclesia, 
or  the  Koreshan  Church,  and  Koreshanity,  the  system  of 
Koresh.  The  foundation  principle  of  the  movement  is  the 
"  reestablishment  of  church  and  state  upon  a  basis  of  divine 
fellowship,"  the  law  of  which  is  love  to  neighbor.  It  has 
three  departments:  the  ecclesia,  or  church;  the  college 
of  life,  or  educational  department ;  and  the  society  Arch- 
triumphant.  As  the  aims  of  Koreshanity  cannot  be  secured 
where  the  spirit  of  competition  operates,  the  life  of  the 
disciples  is  communal.  Celibacy  is  a  fundamental  doctrine. 
It  is  held  as  desirable  in  order  to  conserve  the  forces  of 
life,  and  necessary  to  the  attainment  of  that  purity  of  life 


Il8     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 

which  issues  in  immortality.  The  disciples  hope  to  pass 
out  of  the  world  as  did  Enoch,  Elijah,  and  Christ.  They 
have  no  churches,  but  occupy  6  private  houses.  The 
property  in  Chicago,  though  returned  as  private,  is  held 
for  denominational  purposes. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

California  

)rgani-      Church         Se*tbS          Y£™Zf 
uSL     Edifices.         ^            Churchy 

I            ..                 ....            

Illinois  

Massachusetts  
Ore  eon  . 

I            ..                 
I 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 


15 
15 


Total 5         . .  $36,000          205 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES  OF  ALL  COMMUNISTIC  SOCIETIES. 

California I  . .           15 

Connecticut i           i  400  $5,000  100 

Illinois 2  . .           36,000  160 

Iowa 8  22  2,800  15,000  1,621 

Kentucky 2          2  700  1,900  371 

Maine 2          2  1,000  5,000  100 

Massachusetts 5          4  1,000  11,800  164 

Missouri i  . .           25 

New  Hampshire  ...  2          2  700  1*500  250 

New  York 2          2  1,100  12,000  575 

Ohio 4          4  i>25o  8,600  403 

Oregon i  . .           15 

Pennsylvania I           I  500  10,000  250 

South  Dakota 5          5  600  4,500  352 

Total 37  45  10,050  $i  1 1,300  4,401 

South  Dakota  is  added  to  give  the  Bruederhoef  Men- 
nonite  community. 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

THE  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCHES. 

THE  first  church  of  the  Congregational  faith  and  order 
in  the  United  States  came  over  the  sea  to  Plymouth, 
Mass.,  in  the  "Mayflower,"  in  1620.  Before  the  close  of 
the  first  half  of  that  century  there  were  in  New  England 
5 1  Congregational  churches,  besides  two  or  three  on  Long 
Island  and  one  in  Virginia. 

Congregationalism  developed  great  strength  in  New 
England,  spreading  but  slowly  over  other  sections  of  the 
country.  In  1801  a  plan  of  union  was  entered  into  with 
the  Presbyterian  Church  concerning  the  formation  of 
churches  in  new  settlements,  and  under  it  Congregation- 
alists  going  west  from  New  England  generally  entered 
Presbyterian  churches.  This  plan  continued  in  force  until 
1852,  when  it  was  formally  abrogated  by  a  convention  of 
Congregationalists  at  Albany,  on  the  ground  that  it  prac- 
tically excluded  Congregationalism  from  the  country  west 
of  New  England.  It  is  noticeable  that  in  the  older  States 
where  there  are  many  Congregationalists  there  are  compar- 
atively few  Presbyterians,  and  vice  versa.  Since  the  abro- 
gation of  the  plan  of  union  the  growth  of  Congregational 
churches  in  the  West,  particularly  in  Illinois  and  the  yet 
newer  States  of  the  Northwest,  has  been  quite  rapid.  Their 
antislavery  record  entirely  shut  them  out  of  the  States  of 
the  South  until  after  the  Civil  War.  Their  numbers  in  that 
section  are  still  limited  and  include  a  good  proportion  of 

119 


I2O    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

colored  members,  to  whose  education  they  have  been  much 
devoted. 

The  Pilgrims  and  Puritans,  who  constituted  the  early 
Congregational  churches,  were  not  averse  to  Presbyterian- 
ism  on  doctrinal  grounds.  Congregationalists  and  Presby- 
terians were  in  substantial  agreement,  the  Westminster 
Confession  serving  acceptably  as  the  doctrinal  symbol  of 
both  for  many  years.  It  was  adopted  by  the  Congre- 
gationalists at  a  general  synod  at  Cambridge,  Mass.,  in 
1646—48.  The  Savoy  Confession  of  Faith,  which  is  sim- 
ilar to  that  of  Westminster,  was  adopted  by  local  synods 
in  1680  and  in  1708,  and  a  national  council  held  in  1865, 
in  Boston,  Mass.,  expressed  its  adherence  to  the  faith 
"  substantially  embodied "  in  these  two  confessions,  and 
adopted  a  declaration,  known  as  the  "  Burial  Hill  Declara- 
tion," affirming  the  general  unity  of  the  church  of  Christ 
in  all  the  world,  and  setting  forth  the  "  fundamental  truths 
in  which  all  Christians  should  agree,"  as  a  basis  of  gen- 
eral cooperation  and  fellowship.  In  1871  a  National  Trien- 
nial Council  was  held  in  Oberlin,  O.  The  following  was 
adopted  as  a  part  of  the  constitution  of  the  council : 

"  They  [the  Congregational  churches]  agree  in  belief 
that  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  the  sufficient  and  only  infalli- 
ble rule  of  faith  and  practice ;  their  interpretation  thereof 
being  in  substantial  accordance  with  the  great  doctrines  of 
the  Christian  faith,  commonly  called  Evangelical,  held  in 
our  churches  from  the  early  times,  and  sufficiently  set  forth 
by  former  general  councils." 

Dr.  William  Ives  Budington,  the  moderator  of  the  coun- 
cil, afterward  gave  the  following  interpretation  of  this  para- 
graph : 

"Any  churches    recognizing   the   independency  of  the 


THE   CONGREGATIONAL   CHURCHES.  12 1 

local  church,  and  professing  the  historic  faith  of  Christ's 
church,  are  actually  and  intentionally  embraced  within 
the  fellowship  of  the  national  council.  The  distinctions  of 
Old  School  and  New  School  were  ignored,  and  just  as  much 
Arminianism  and  Calvinism." 

According  to  this,  Congregationalism  welcomes  Armini- 
ans  as  well  as  Calvinists  to  its  churches.  In  1883  a  com- 
mission appointed  by  the  national  council  formulated  a 
confession,  consisting  of  twelve  articles.  It  is  of  a  general 
evangelical  character. 

The  polity  of  the  Congregational  churches  is  based  on 
the  principle  of  the  complete  autonomy  of  each  local  church. 
Connected  with  this  principle  is  that  of  the  fellowship  of 
the  churches.  The  Cambridge  platform,  adopted  in  the 
middle  of  the  seventeenth  century,  declares  that  "  although 
churches  be  distinct  and  therefore  may  not  be  confounded 
with  one  another,  and  equal  and  therefore  have  not  domin- 
ion one  over  another,  yet  all  churches  ought  to  preserve 
church  communion  one  with  another,  because  they  are  all 
united  unto  Christ,  not  only  as  a  mystical,  but  as  a  polit- 
ical, head,  whence  is  derived  a  communion  suitable  there- 
unto." The  fountain  of  ecclesiastical  power  is  in  the  local 
church,  and  not  in  any  association  or  council  of  churches. 
Each  church  manages  its  own  affairs.  When  differences 
arise  between  churches,  or  between  members  of  the  same 
church,  or  between  a  church  and  its  pastor,  they  may  be 
referred  to  a  council  specially  summoned,  composed  of 
pastors  and  representatives  of  neighboring  churches  of  the 
same  faith  and  order.  The  decisions  of  councils  are,  how- 
ever, not  mandatory,  but  simply  advisory.  Councils  have 
to  do  chiefly  with  questions  of  denominational  fellowship. 
They  examine,  ordain,  and  install  pastors,  and  recognize 


122     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

churches.  There  are  local  associations  purely  ministerial, 
meeting  for  fellowship,  and  which  in  some  sections  assume 
the  duty  of  examining  candidates  for  license  to  preach,  the 
license  being  in  the  nature  of  a  certification  to  the  churches 
of  the  fitness  of  the  licentiate.  There  are  also  local  and 
State  associations  or  conferences  of  churches  and  ministers 
which  hold  regular  meetings  for  consultation  concerning 
the  benevolent  and  missionary  work  of  the  churches  within 
their  bounds.  The  Triennial  National  Council  embraces 
representatives  of  all  the  local  associations  and  conferences ; 
but  equally  with  the  local  bodies  it  has  no  other  province 
than  that  of  giving  counsel  to  the  churches  and  benevolent 
societies. 

The  Congregational  idea  of  the  minister  is  that  he  is  a 
teacher  who  is  primus  inter  pares.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
church  which  he  serves,  and  is  subject  to  its  discipline  like 
any  other  member.  The  officers  of  a  church  consist  of  one 
or  more  pastors,  also  called  bishops  or  elders ;  and  of  dea- 
cons, who  are  laymen  charged  with  the  administration  of 
the  sacraments  and  of  the  charitable  interests.  Connected 
with  most  churches  is  a  religious  society  embracing  all 
members  and  supporters  of  the  church.  The  church  calls 
a  pastor,  and  the  society  approves  the  call  and  fixes  the 
salary. 

In  New  England  for  many  years  Congregationalism 
was  the  established  religion.  In  the  colonies  of  New 
Haven  and  Massachusetts  membership  in  a  Congrega- 
tional church  was  a  condition  of  the  exercise  of  the  polit- 
ical franchise,  and  the  churches  in  most  of  New  England 
were  supported  by  monies  raised  in  the  tax  levies.  In 
course  of  time  this  system  was  modified  so  as  to  allow 
persons  to  contribute  to  whatever  church  they  preferred. 


THE   CONGREGATIONAL    CHURCHES. 


123 


It  was  formally  abolished  in  Connecticut  in  1816,  and  in 
Massachusetts  in  1833. 

There  are  Congregational  churches  in  all  the  States 
except  Delaware,  and  in  all  the  Territories  except  Alaska. 
The  total  of  members  in  this  country,  not  including  several 
thousand  converts  in  connection  with  missions  of  the  Amer- 
ican Board  in  foreign  lands,  is  more  than  half  a  million. 
Massachusetts,  where  Congregationalists  were  the  first 
colonists,  has  a  larger  proportion  of  the  total  than  any 
other  State,  101,890;  Connecticut  comes  second,  with 
59,154;  New  York  third,  with  45,686;  Illinois  fourth, 
with  35,830;  and  Ohio  fifth,  with  32,281.  Of  the  total 
valuation  of  church  property,  $43,335,437,  Massachusetts 
has  more  than  a  fourth,  or  $11,030,890;  Connecticut, 
$5,366,201  ;  New  York,  $5,175,262;  and  Illinois,  $2,975,- 
812.  There  are  only  15  places  in  Massachusetts  used  by 
Congregationalists  as  places  of  worship  which  they  do  not 
own.  There  are  62  such  places  in  South  Dakota,  50  in 
Iowa,  and  47  in  Michigan.  In  all,  456  halls,  with  a  seat- 
ing capacity  of  42,646,  are  used  by  congregations.  The 
4868  organizations  own  4736  edifices,  with  an  aggregate 
seating  capacity  of  1,553,080,  indicating  an  average  of  328 
to  each  house.  The  average  value  of  each  edifice  is  $91 50. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


SEE 


Alabama  ..........  28 

Arizona   ..........  3 

Arkansas  .........  7 

California  .........  182 

Colorado  ..........  49 

Connecticut  .......  306 

District  of  Columbia  6 

Florida  ...........  39 


Church 
Edifices. 

Searing 
parity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

22 

5,505 

$91,755 

1,683 

3 

550 

9,500 

162 

5 

1,  600 

26,OOO 

669 

i49# 

37,773 

1,014,975 

11,907 

38^ 

11,010 

377,090 

3,217 

383 

147,688 

5,366,201 

59,154 

6 

3,370 

339,000 

i,399 

29 

7,600 

73,775 

1,184 

124    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. — Continued. 


STATES. 

Organi- 

Church 
Edifices 

Seating 
Ca- 

Value of 
Church 

Com- 
muni- 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

Georgia  

73 

58 

I5>5«> 

$75,350 

3,880 

Idaho  

5 

3 

42O 

6,400 

105 

Illinois  
Indiana  

302 

W 

296 
42^ 

103,036 
I2,2OO 

2,975,812 
221,650 

35,830 

3,081 

Indian  Territory  .  .  . 

6 

127 

Iowa  

285 

243X 

68,o8l 

1,231,886 

23,733 

Kansas  

183 

152 

34,975 

485,975 

n,945 

Kentucky  

8 

6 

i,75o 

20,200 

449 

Louisiana  

20 

ii 

3,825 

23,800 

1,057 

Maine  

240 

272X 

85,591 

1,512,030 

21,523 

Maryland  

3 

3 

1,150 

71,500 

Massachusetts  

«>59 

671^ 

298,910 

11,030,890 

101,890 

Michigan  

331 

299^ 

82,458 

1,533,055 

24,582 

Minnesota  

175 

152 

37,403 

1,114,800 

13,624 

Mississippi  

7 

5 

1,150 

6,975 

210 

Missouri  

80 

69 

29,550 

650,344 

7,6l7 

Montana  

7 

5 

1,130 

38,800 

345 

Nebraska  

172 

144 

32,019 

640,204 

10,045 

Nevada  

i 

i 

200 

1,000 

5° 

New  Hampshire  .  .  . 

188 

226 

73,346 

1,405,050 

19,712 

New  Jersey  

33 

36 

14,050 

655,300 

4,912 

New  Mexico  

4 

4 

625 

17,800 

175 

New  York  

301 

324X 

128,179 

5,175,262 

45,686 

North  Carolina  .... 

20 

16 

3,705 

14,200 

1,002 

North  Dakota  

65 

38 

5,955 

81,800 

1,616 

Ohio  

247 

252^ 

83,029 

2,044,525 

32,281 

Oklahoma  

IO 

170 

Oregon  

35 

27 

7,500 

160,200 

2,037 

Pennsylvania  

108 

icoX 

34,6o5 

672,588 

9,818 

Rhode  Island  

34 

39 

19,080 

905,800 

7,192 

South  Carolina  .... 

3 

3 

1,100 

31,350 

376 

South  Dakota  

138 

80 

14,967 

200,665 

5,164 

Tennessee  

26 

20 

4,57o 

106,000 

1,429 

Texas  

IS 

12 

3,250 

55,300 

846 

Utah  

H 

2 

600 

76,000 

460 

Vermont  

198 

217 

65,112 

1,318,100 

20,465 

Virginia  

2 

2 

550 

7,500 

156 

Washington  

104 

62 

13,698 

316,230 

3,154 

West  Virginia  

2 

2 

75° 

18,500 

136 

Wisconsin  

182 

I96 

52,615 

1,089,750 

15,841 

Wyoming  

7 

6 

i,35o 

44,550 

339 

Total 4,868  4,736      1,553,080  $43,335,437  512,771 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE   DISCIPLES   OF   CHRIST. 

THIS  body,  often  called  also  Christians,  was  one  of  the 
results  of  the  great  revival  movement  which  began  in  Ten- 
nessee and  Kentucky  in  the  early  part  of  the  present  cent- 
ury. Rev.  Barton  W.  Stone,  a  Presbyterian  minister  who 
was  prominent  in  the  revival  movement,  withdrew  from 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  in  1804  organized  a  church 
with  no  other  creed  than  the  Bible  and  with  no  name  but 
that  of  Christian.  One  of  his  objects  was  to  find  a  basis 
for  the  union  of  all  Christian  believers.  A  little  later 
Thomas  and  Alexander  Campbell,  father  and  son,  who 
came  from  Ireland,  where  the  former  had  been  a  Presby- 
terian minister,  organized  union  societies  in  Pennsylvania. 
Changing  their  views  as  to  baptism,  they  joined  the  Red- 
stone Association  of  Baptists.  Shortly  after,  when  Alex- 
ander Campbell  was  charged  with  not  being  in  harmony 
with  the  creed,  he  followed  the  Burch  Run  Church,  of 
which  he  was  pastor,  into  the  Mahoning  Baptist  Associa- 
tion, which,  leavened  with  his  teachings,  soon  ceased  to  be 
known  as  a  Baptist  association.  In  1827,  after  some  cor- 
respondence with  Rev.  B.  W.  Stone  and  his  followers  of 
the  Christian  Connection,  there  was  a  union  with  a  large 
number  of  congregations  in  Ohio,  Kentucky,  and  Tennes- 
see, and  the  organization  variously  known  as  "  Disciples  of 
Christ "  and  "  Christians  "  is  the  result. 

125 


126    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 

The  leading  principles  of  the  Disciples  of  Christ  are,  to 
quote  from  one  of  their  tracts:  (i)  "  To  restore  the  lost 
unity  of  believers  and  so  of  the  Church  of  Christ  by  a 
return  in  doctrine,  ordinance,  and  life  to  the  religion 
definitely  outlined"  in  the  New  Testament ;  (2)  no  human 
creed,  but  the  Bible  only  as  the  rule  of  faith  and  practice ; 
(3)  baptism  by  immersion  of  believers  only,  in  which 
"  comes  a  divine  assurance  of  remission  of  sins  and  accept- 
ance with  God  " ;  (4)  the  celebration  of  the  Lord's  Supper 
as  a  "  feast  of  love  "  every  Sunday.  The  central  doctrine 
of  their  teaching  is  that  "Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son 
of  God."  They  hold  that  "personal  trust  in  a  personal 
Redeemer  "  is  the  faith  that  is  necessary  to  salvation. 

In  polity  they  are  congregational.  Their  ministers  are 
ordained,  but  are  not,  in  denominational  usage,  addressed 
with  the  title  "  Rev."  They  have  as  church  officers  elders, 
also  called  bishops,  pastors,  or  presbyters,  deacons,  and 
evangelists.  The  latter  are  itinerant  missionaries.  The 
churches  are  united  in  State  and  district  associations  for 
missionary  work,  and  there  is  also  a  national  convention 
for  home  and  another  organization  for  foreign  missions, 
and  a  Woman's  Board  of  Missions  for  both  home  and 
foreign  missions. 

The  Disciples  of  Christ  are  represented  in  all  the  States 
but  New  Hampshire  and  Nevada,  and  in  all  the  Territories 
except  Alaska.  In  number  of  members  Missouri  leads 
the  States,  with  97,773;  Indiana  is  second,  with  78,942; 
Kentucky  third,  with  77,647;  Illinois  fourth,  with  60,867  ; 
and  Ohio  fifth,  with  54,425.  They  have  an  aggregate  of 
7246  organizations,  5324  church  edifices,  valued  at  $12,- 
206,038,  and  641,051  members  or  communicants.  The 
average  seating  capacity  of  the  churches  is  302,  and  the 


THE  DISCIPLES  OF  CHRIST. 


127 


average  value  $2292;    1141  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity 
of  139,325,  are  occupied. 

In  many  States  no  little  difficulty  was  encountered  in 
the  attempt  to  gather  full  statistics  for  the  census.  The 
most  competent  person  in  each  State  was  appointed  to  do 
the  work,  but  it  was  not  possible  to  get  returns  for  all  con- 
gregations known  or  believed  to  be  in  existence.  This 
was  particularly  true  of  Tennessee,  where  estimates  only, 
founded  on  various  sources  of  information,  were  possible 
for  several  counties.  A  small  percentage  of  members  in 
a  number  of  the  States  is  not,  therefore,  embraced  in  the 
following  tables,  which  are  believed,  however,  to  be  the 
most  complete  of  any  ever  before  published : 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 

Church 

Seating 
Ca- 

Value of 
Church 

Com- 
muni- 

zations. 

Edifices. 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

Alabama  

2O  I 

128 

30,8l8 

$78,185 

9,201 

Arizona  

3 

I 

ISO 

3,000 

78 

Arkansas  

265 

123 

34,785 

106,360 

14,385 

California  

89 

62 

17,675 

291,250 

7,433 

Colorado  

31 

18 

4,945 

151,625 

2,400 

Connecticut  

2 

i 

500 

16,000 

337 

Delaware  

4 

3 

45° 

4,800 

95 

District  of  Columbia 

2 

2 

I,2OO 

80,000 

700 

Florida  

49 

22 

5,150 

14,850 

1,306 

Georgia  

64 

60 

20,805 

197,925 

4,676 

Idaho  

6 

I 

300 

2,000 

350 

Illinois  

641 

550 

155*505 

i,H5,275 

60,867 

Indiana  

733 

65I 

219,320 

1,329,370 

78,942 

Indian  Territory  .  .  . 

82 

9 

2,805 

3,350 

i,977 

Iowa  

403 

308 

83,450 

708,100 

30,988 

Kansas  

352 

197 

55,045 

468,975 

25,200 

Kentucky  

632 

530 

169,635 

1,321,510 

77,647 

Louisiana  

4 

4 

1,000 

22,300 

202 

Maine  

9 

3 

700 

6,100 

293 

Maryland  

14 

14 

5,200 

66,200 

1,774 

Massachusetts  

4 

3 

1,700 

67,200 

777 

Michigan  

73 

49 

14,870 

160,650 

5,788 

128    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES.— Continued. 


STATES. 

Organi- 

Church 
Edifices 

Seating 

Value  of 
Church 

Com- 
muni- 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

Minnesota  

37 

29 

5,070 

$73,000 

1,9*7 

Mississippi  

in 

69 

12,675 

55,422 

5,729 

Missouri  

.     I,I2O 

830 

263,280 

1,632,531 

97,773 

Montana  

13 

9 

1,789 

58,800 

78S 

Nebraska  

IOO 

83 

22,660 

269,375 

7,715 

New  Jersey  

I 

105 

New  Mexico  

4 

6S 

New  York  

41 

36 

11,810 

363,650 

4,3l6 

North  Carolina  .  .  . 

.      186 

136 

38,520 

71,157 

12,437 

North  Dakota  

i 

20 

Ohio  

•      475 

446 

138,778 

1,462,250 

54,425 

Oklahoma  

9 

2 

300 

500 

265 

Oregon  

74 

40 

10,950 

76,700 

4,067 

Pennsylvania  

.      125 

IOI 

33,785 

533,U7 

12,007 

Rhode  Island  

i 

I 

150 

3,000 

35 

South  Carolina  .  .  . 

50 

37 

8,060 

10,200 

2,880 

South  Dakota  

15 

6 

1,350 

10,800 

490 

Tennessee  

.      322 

245 

80,510 

410,660 

41,125 

Texas  

.      536 

267 

78,370 

467,900 

41,859 

Utah  

2 

270 

Vermont  

2 

2 

475 

5,000 

262 

Virginia  

.      161 

148 

45,228 

240,929 

14,100 

Washington  

86 

29 

93,400 

5,816 

West  Virginia  

.        85 

51 

16,709 

92,292 

5,807 

Wisconsin  

24 

18 

5,825 

30,300 

1,317 

Wyoming  

2 

48 

Total 7,246  5,324  1,609,452    $12,206,038  641,051 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

THE    DUNKARDS. 

THE  Dunkards,  or  German  Baptists,  or  Brethren,  are  of 
German  origin,  and  trace  their  beginning  back  to  Alexan- 
der Mack,  of  Schwartz enau,  Germany.  Early  in  the  eight- 
eenth century  Mack  and  several  others  formed  a  habit  of 
meeting  together  for  the  study  of  the  New  Testament. 
They  were  convinced  that  its  doctrines  and  principles  of 
church  order  were  not  being  faithfully  followed,  either  by 
the  Lutheran  or  the  Reformed  Church.  They  therefore 
resolved  to  form  a  society  of  their  own.  Alexander  Mack 
was  chosen  as  their  pastor.  Persecution  soon  arose,  and 
they  were  scattered.  In  1719  most  of  them  got  together 
and  came  to  the  United  States,  settling  in  Pennsylvania, 
where  their  first  church  was  organized  about  1723.  Like 
the  Mennonites,  they  chose  Germantown,  where  Christian 
Saur,  one  of  their  number,  edited  and  printed  the  first 
German  Bible  in  America,  the  unbound  sheets  of  which 
were  used  by  the  British  soldiers  to  litter  their  horses  after 
the  battle  of  Germantown,  in  the  Revolutionary  War. 
Later  a  number  of  these  sheets  were  gathered  up  and 
several  volumes  were  made  of  them,  some  of  which  are 
still  in  existence. 

The  Dunkards  were  an  earnest  and  devout  people,  en- 
deavoring to  shape  their  lives  according  to  the  teachings 
of  the  New  Testament,  and  they  increased  quite  rapidly, 

129 


130    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

drawing  their  converts,  of  course,  from  the  German  ele- 
ment. One  of  their  most  important  principles  is  noncon- 
formity to  the  world.  They  have  sought,  while  living  in 
the  midst  of  the  world,  to  preserve  a  simple,  unostenta- 
tious life,  ignoring  the  fashions  and  the  customs  of  society 
in  dress,  in  household  furnishing,  and  in  general  mode  of 
life.  Through  a  long  course  of  years  this  subject  occupied 
more  or  less  attention  at  every  Annual  Meeting.  Bishops 
and  heads  of  families  were  exhorted  to  be  careful  that  they 
and  their  households  set  a  good  example  in  rejecting  the 
"high  fashions"  of  the  times.  As  early  as  1822  it  was 
decided  that  with  those  who  should  continue  to  disregard 
the  rule  of  nonconformity  after  the  third  admonition  the 
Brethren  should  not  break  bread.  In  1840  complaint  was 
heard  at  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  increase  of  the  "  evil  " 
of  conformity  to  the  world.  Some  Brethren,  it  was  said, 
conform  too  much  to  the  world  in  "  building,  house-furni- 
ture, apparel,  etc.,  and  even  in  sleighing  have  bells  upon 
their  horses."  Five  years  later  a  solemn  warning  was 
given  against  "  fashionable  dressing,  building  and  orna- 
menting houses  in  the  style  of  those  high  in  the  world," 
as  an  "alarming  and  dangerous  evil."  In  1846  the  over- 
seers of  churches  were  instructed  to  see  that  members  did 
not  have  paintings,  carpets,  fine  furniture,  or  fine  houses. 
Much  attention  was  given  at  the  various  Annual  Meetings 
to  the  fashions  of  women.  In  1862  they  were  forbidden 
to  wear  "  hoops  "  and  bonnets,  and  enjoined  never  to  be 
without  the  cap,  or  prayer- covering,  in  church  worship. 
Among  the  queries  sent  up  in  later  years  was  one  asking 
whether  it  was  lawful  for  Brethren  to  establish  or  patronize 
high- schools.  The  reply  was  that  Brethren  should  not 
mind  high  things  but  condescend  to  men  of  low  estate. 


THE  DUNKARDS.  131 

The  Brethren,  however,  continued  to  maintain  a  high- 
school,  and  have  even  established  colleges.  Despite  their 
utmost  care,  innovations  crept  in  gradually  among  them; 
carpets,  musical  instruments,  gold  watches,  and  other  for- 
bidden articles  found  their  way  gradually  into  use,  and  the 
cut  and  character  of  their  garments  were  changed.  Their 
discipline  became  insensibly  relaxed,  and  the  differences 
between  them  and  their  neighbors  of  other  denominations 
were  less  striking.  The  result  was  that  the  more  conserv- 
ative, rallying  against  these  innovations  and  insisting  upon 
adherence  to  the  old  rules  of  discipline,  found  themselves 
strongly  opposed  by  the  more  progressive  element,  and  a 
division  occurred  about  ten  years  ago.  As  the  outcome 
of  this  division  there  are  three  branches,  known  as  the 
Conservative,  the  Progressive,  and  the  Old  Order  Brethren. 
There  is,  besides,  a  fourth  called  the  Seventh-Day  Baptist, 
German.  This  was  due  to  a  secession  from  the  Dunkards, 
led  by  Conrad  Beissel,  in  1728.  Beissel  and  his  disciples 
observed  the  seventh  day  of  the  week  as  the  Sabbath,  and 
adopted  a  communal  life. 

On  the  general  doctrines  of  the  evangelical  faith  the 
Brethren  are  in  harmony  with  other  Protestant  churches. 
They  interpret  the  Scriptures  literally,  and  hold  that  un- 
questioning obedience  should  be  given  to  both  letter  and 
spirit.  They  agree  with  the  Baptists  in  holding  that  im- 
mersion is  the  only  proper  form  of  baptism,  and  that  believ- 
ers are  the  only  proper  subjects  of  the  ordinance.  They 
do  not  practice  infant  baptism.  The  ordinance  is  adminis- 
tered to  candidates  in  a  kneeling  position.  They  are  dipped 
thrice,  once  at  the  mention  of  each  name  of  the  Trinity  in 
the  baptismal  formula.  They  are  dipped  forward  instead 
of  backward,  contrary  to  the  usual  custom  of  immersion. 


132     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

One  reason  given  for  dipping  forward  is  that  when  Christ 
died  upon  the  cross  his  head  fell  forward  on  his  breast. 
Immediately  after  the  third  immersion  the  administrator 
lays  his  hands  upon  the  candidate's  head  and  offers  prayer. 

Endeavoring  to  follow  all  the  customs  as  well  as  the 
commandments  of  the  New  Testament,  the  Dunkards  hold 
communion  in  the  evening.  It  is  preceded  by  the  feast 
of  love,  or  the  agapce  of  the  Greeks.  After  partaking  of 
a  full  meal,  which  is  served  at  tables,  the  bread  and  wine 
of  the  sacrament  are  administered.  In  connection  with 
this  they  extend  the  right  hand  of  fellowship  to  one  another 
and  exchange  the  kiss  of  charity.  This  part  of  the  service 
is  observed  separately  by  the  sexes.  Before  the  supper  is 
eaten  the  ceremony  of  washing  one  another's  feet  is  per- 
formed, the  brethren  observing  it  among  themselves  and 
the  sisters  doing  likewise. 

The  ministry  consists  of  bishops  or  elders,  ministers,  and 
deacons,  all  of  whom  are  elected  by  the  congregations. 
Deacons  are  advanced  to  be  ministers,  ministers  are  ad- 
vanced to  the  second  degree,  and  bishops  or  elders  are 
elected  from  the  list  of  ministers  of  the  second  degree. 
Ministers  are  chosen  from  the  body  of  the  brethren.  In 
most  cases  they  receive  nothing  for  their  services. 

The  polity  of  the  Dunkards  is  partly  Congregational  and 
partly  Presbyterian.  Their  chief  ecclesiastical  body  is  the 
Annual  Meeting  or  Conference,  whose  decisions  are  con- 
sidered binding  upon  district  conferences  and  churches. 
Questions  in  doctrine  and  usage  are  sent  from  the  district 
conferences  to  the  Annual  Meeting,  which  returns  replies, 
generally  with  a  Scriptural  quotation  to  indicate  the  au- 
thority on  which  the  replies  are  based.  Each  district  con- 
ference sends  to  the  Annual  Meeting  one  bishop  and  one 


THE  DUNKARDS.  133 

delegate.  The  bishops  compose  the  Standing  Committee 
of  the  conference.  This  Standing  Committee  provides  for 
the  organization  of  the  meeting  by  choosing  officers  and 
bringing  the  business  before  the  meeting  in  the  proper 
shape  for  action;  and  also  appoints  committees  in  cases 
of  difficulty  in  local  churches.  After  the  division  changes 
were  made  in  the  manner  of  holding  the  Annual  Meeting 
in  each  branch  except  the  Old  Order. 

The  Brethren  hold  not  only  to  the  principle  of  noncon- 
formity but  also  to  that  of  nonresistance,  and  earnestly 
protest  against  secret  societies.  Their  ministers  are  not 
trained  men,  but  pursue  their  ordinary  business  avocations 
during  the  week,  preaching  on  Sundays  and  other  occa- 
sions, as  required.  There  are  four  branches,  as  follows : 

1.  Conservative. 

2.  Progressive. 

3.  Old  Order. 

4.  Seventh- Day,  German. 

I. — THE   CONSERVATIVE  BRETHREN. 

The  Conservatives  constitute  the  largest  branch  of  the 
Dunkards.  The  division  occurred,  as  already  stated,  as 
the  result  of  a  disagreement  concerning  the  enforcement 
of  discipline  in  matters  of  conformity.  The  Conservatives 
found  themselves  between  two  fires.  On  the  one  hand, 
there  were  quite  a  number  of  Brethren  who  demanded 
more  liberty  in  the  matter  of  the  wearing  of  dress,  and  in 
other  customs  which  had  hitherto  been  frowned  upon.  On 
the  other  hand,  there  was  a  body  of  Brethren  who  insisted 
upon  a  rigorous  enforcement  of  the  prohibitions  against 
the  adoption  of  modern  dress  and  modern  customs.  It 


134    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

was  the  policy  of  the  Conservatives  to  deal  leniently  with 
those  who  wanted  more  liberty,  and  to  conciliate,  if  pos- 
sible, those  who  wanted  a  more  rigorous  enforcement  of 
the  discipline.  The  Old  Order  Brethren,  however,  felt 
that  the  Progressive  Brethren  had  already  departed  from 
the  ancient  order  of  the  church.  The  principle  of  dress  as 
held  by  the  Conservatives  was  that  plainness,  modesty,  and 
economy  in  dress  is  a  gospel  principle,  and  that  to  retain 
the  form  of  plainness  was  to  insure  the  retention  of  the 
principle  of  plainness.  The  Progressive  Brethren  believed 
in  the  principle  of  plainness,  but  declared  that  there  was 
no  merit  in  adhering  to  a  particular  form  of  plainness. 
The  Progressives,  therefore,  became  a  distinct  branch. 

One  of  the  points  of  disagreement  between  the  Conserv- 
atives and  the  Old  Order  Brethren  was  that  of  the  in- 
troduction of  Sunday-schools.  The  Old  Order  Brethren 
stoutly  opposed  this  as  an  innovation,  while  the  Conserva- 
tives held  that  it  was  simply  an  application  of  the  principle 
of  the  fathers  that  the  children  should  be  religiously  edu- 
cated. The  Old  Order  Brethren  were  likewise  opposed 
to  educational  institutions.  The  Conservatives  say  on 
this  point  that  the  fathers  themselves,  if  they  were  now 
living,  would  be  favorable  to  Sunday-schools  and  high- 
schools,  and  also  to  missionary  work.  This,  then,  is  the  posi- 
tion of  the  Conservative  body.  They  are  in  favor  of  retain- 
ing the  principle  of  nonconformity  to  the  world,  but  of  not 
enforcing  it  so  rigorously  as  was  done  twenty-five  or  fifty 
years  ago.  They  believe  in  Sabbath-schools  and  mission- 
ary work,  and  also  in  educating  their  own  people.  They 
are  represented  in  twenty-eight  States  and  two  Territories^ 
being  strongest  in  Pennsylvania,  Indiana,  and  Ohio,  where 
more  than  one  half  of  their  communicants  are  found.  There 


THE  DUNKARDS. 


135 


are  180  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  15,048.  The 
average  value  of  the  houses  of  worship  is  $1313,  and  the 
average  seating  capacity  414. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 

Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Arkansas  

4 

I 

400 

$300 

78 

California    

3 

2 

375 

2,2OO 

211 

Colorado  

i 

I 

300 

I,20O 

1  10 

Florida  

i 

I 

200 

600 

41 

Idaho  

i 

I 

200 

1,000 

40 

Illinois  

55 

59 

22,850 

96,860 

3,701 

Indiana  

107 

129 

58,565 

179,870 

10,224 

Indian  Territory  .  .  . 

i 

27 

Iowa  

52 

&x 

14,125 

49,505 

2,769 

Kansas  

62 

34 

13,150 

53,425 

3,228 

Kentucky  

i 

10 

Louisiana    

i 

17 

Maryland  
Michigan  

29 

12 

392A 
ii 

15,825 
3,728 

6o,200 
11,425 

2,446 
560 

Minnesota  

2 

2 

600 

1,500 

104 

Missouri  

32 

26 

9,670 

23,025 

1,845 

Nebraska  

28 

10 

3,650 

14,500 

998 

New  Jersey  

3 

3 

950 

5,000 

191 

North  Carolina  

9 

5 

1,625 

2,000 

510 

Ohio  

95 

I27K 

50,620 

153,365 

8,490 

Oklahoma  

2 

46 

Oregon  

6 

4 

1,  000 

4,400 

250 

IOI 

224^ 

94,738 

354,oo8 

14,194 

South  Dakota  

4 

102 

Tennessee  

19 

16 

7,450 

11,700 

1,249 

Texas  

6 

i 

150 

300 

95 

Virginia  

42 

87 

40,635 

73,523 

6,659 

Washington  

3 

26 

West  Virginia    

33 

32 

12,180 

21,635 

2,710 

Wisconsin  

5 

170 

Total 720      854     353,586  $1,121, 541     61,101 

2. — THE  PROGRESSIVE  BRETHREN. 

The  reasons  for  the  division  which  resulted  in  the  for- 
mation of  this  branch  of  the  Dunkards  have  already  been 


136    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

given.  They  constitute  the  most  advanced  section  of 
the  body  of  Dunkards.  Their  rules  respecting  noncon- 
formity to  the  world  are  far  less  .strict  than  those  of  the 
Conservatives.  They  call  themselves  simply  Brethren,  or 
The  Brethren,  and  do  not  wish  to  be  known  as  Dunkards. 
The  number  of  their  communicants  is  but  a  little  more 
than  one  eighth  of  that  of  the  Conservatives.  They 
occupy  37  halls,  which  have  a  seating  capacity  of  4455. 
The  average  value  of  their  edifices  is  $1521,  and  the  aver- 
age seating  capacity  342. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

California  

Organi- 
zations. 

2 

Church 
Edifices. 

i/ 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

KO 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$2?O 

Com- 

rnuni- 
cants. 

72 

Colorado  

I 

/* 

*3W 

17 

Illinois     

4" 

VA 

I,2OO 

7.  CQO 

IO1 

Indiana   

22 

J/z 
Ira/ 

C.87C 

22,62O 

*yo 
1,4.70 

Iowa  

7 

*  y/+ 

1.4.21 

6,8sO 

*>2/y 
60  1 

Kansas     

[6 

78? 

5,4.00 

CQ7 

Maryland      

i 

c 

/  vj 

I  -4.OO 

2,600 

200 

Michigan    

6 

c 

I.C7O 

5,8cn 

24.O 

Missouri  

I 

2OO 

OO 

Nebraska  

c 

42A 

I.QCO 

8.QOO 

3S 

Ohio     

27 

t/3 

I75/ 

7.OOO 

1O.7OO 

I.C4.2 

I 

i 

2OO 

2OO 

2O 

Pennsylvania  

21 

28 

8.111; 

CO.4.OO 

2,OO8 

Virginia  
West  Virginia  . 

6 

i* 

1,300 
I,  ISO 

2,450 

2,ot;o 

397 

127 

Total 


128        96       32,740    $I45>770       8,089 


3. — THE  OLD   ORDER  BRETHREN. 

This  is  the  smallest  of  the  three  branches  into  which  the 
Dunkards  were  divided  about  ten  years  ago.  The  Old 
Order  Brethren  aim  to  prohibit  conformity  to  the  fashions 
of  the  world  as  rigorously  as  did  the  fathers  fifty  years 


THE  DUNKARDS. 


137 


ago.  They  are  opposed  to  Sunday-schools,  missionary 
endeavor,  and  high-schools  or  colleges.  The  census  au- 
thorities had  much  difficulty  in  getting  returns  from  them. 
They  were  opposed  to  the  numbering  of  their  people  for 
Scriptural  reasons,  and  refused  in  many  cases  to  give  in- 
formation, which  was  otherwise  obtained.  There  are  62 
halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  2330,  occupied  as  places 
of  worship.  The  average  value  of  the  church  edifices  is 
$1279,  average  seating  capacity  408. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Arkansas  

I 

California  

I 

Illinois  

12 

3 

725 

$970 

Indiana  

21 

n# 

5,050 

l6,4OO 

Iowa  

9 

i# 

800 

2,600 

Kansas  

13 

3 

1,200 

2,800 

Kentucky  

I 

Maryland  

6 

2 

1,200 

3,000 

Michigan  

3 

I 

150 

200 

Missouri  

9 

2 

2OO 

1,  60O 

Nebraska  

4 

I 

350 

600 

North  Carolina 

i 

Ohio  

31 

28 

10,825 

44,000 

Oregon    

i 

Pennsylvania  

4 

5 

2,900 

5,000 

Virginia  

4 

3 

1,400 

2,500 

West  Virginia  

12 

2 

950 

I,IOO 

Wisconsin  

I 

Wyoming 

I 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

4 

7 

225 
647 

IOO 

332 


44 

155 

47 

:,766 
10 

3ii 

188 

179 

29 

21 


Total 135         63       25,750       $80,770       4,411 


4. — THE   SEVENTH-DAY   BAPTISTS,  GERMAN. 

This  is  the  oldest  secession  from  the  body  of  Dunkards. 
As  already  stated,  Conrad  Beissel  founded  it  in  1728. 
Only  a  very  few  members  are  now  reported.  These  ob- 


138     RELIGIOUS  FORCES   OF   THE    UNITED   STATES. 


serve  the  seventh  day  as  the  Sabbath,  and  some  features 
of  the  communal  life.  They  are  found  in  Bedford,  Frank- 
lin, Lancaster,  and  Somerset  counties,  Pa. 


SUMMARY. 


STATE. 

Organi- 
aations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Pennsylvania  

6 

3 

1,960 

$14,550 

SUMMARY 

BY  STATES  OF 

ALL  DUNKARDS. 

STATES. 

Arkansas  

5 

i 

400 

$300 

California  

6 

2 

525 

2,450 

Colorado  .  

2 

I 

300 

I,2OO 

Florida  

I 

I 

200 

600 

Idaho  

I 

I 

200 

I,OOO 

Illinois  

71 

65 

24,775 

105,330 

Indiana  

ISO 

156 

69,490 

218,890 

Indian  Territory  .  .  . 

I 

Iowa  

68 

43 

16,350 

58,955 

Kansas  

9i 

40 

15,135 

61,625 

Kentucky  

2 

Louisiana  

I 

Maryland  

36 

47 

18,425 

65,800 

Michigan  

21 

17 

5,448 

17,475 

Minnesota  

2 

2 

600 

1,500 

Missouri  

44 

29 

10,070 

24,625 

Nebraska  

37 

16 

5,95° 

24,000 

New  Jersey  

3 

3 

950 

5,000 

North  Carolina  

10 

5 

1,625 

2,000 

Ohio  

153 

173 

68,445 

228,065 

Oklahoma  

2 

Oregon  

8 

5 

i,  800 

4,600 

Pennsylvania  

134 

261 

107,933 

423,958 

South  Dakota  

4 

Tennessee  

19 

16 

7,450 

11,700 

Texas  

6 

i 

150 

300 

Virginia  

50 

93 

43,335 

78,473 

Washington 

7 

West  Virginia  

5i 

38 

14,480 

24,785 

Wisconsin 

6 

Wyoming  

i 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

194 


Total 989    1,016     414,036  $1,362, 631     73»795 


CHAPTER   XX. 

THE   EVANGELICAL   ASSOCIATION. 

JACOB  ALBRIGHT,  originally  a  Lutheran,  born  in  1759, 
was  the  founder  of  the  Evangelical  Association.  Near  the 
close  of  the  last  century  he  became  an  earnest  revival 
preacher.  He  labored  among  the  German-speaking  popu- 
lation, and  in  1800  formed  a  society  of  converts  in  Penn- 
sylvania for  "social  prayer  and  devotional  exercises"  every 
Sunday  and  every  Wednesday  night.  This  was  the  rise 
of  the  movement  which  resulted  in  the  Evangelical  Asso- 
ciation. The  first  conference  was  held  in  1807.  This 
conference  elected  Jacob  Albright  a  bishop.  Two  years 
later  a  church  discipline  very  similar  to  that  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  Church  was  published.  Some  years  after 
the  death  of  Bishop  Albright  (1808)  the  name  Evangelical 
Association  of  North  America  was  adopted.  Previously 
to  this  his  followers  had  been  known  as  "  The  Albright 
People,"  or  "The  Albrights." 

In  doctrine  and  polity  the  Evangelical  Association  is 
Methodist.  It  has  annual  conferences,  a  quadrennial  gen- 
eral conference,  which  is  the  supreme  legislative  and  judi- 
cial body,  quarterly  conferences,  presiding  elders,  and  an 
itinerant  and  a  local  ministry,  exhorters,  class  leaders,  etc. 
It  also  has  bishops,  who,  however,  are  not  elected  for  life, 
but  for  a  term  of  four  years.  Its  Articles  of  Faith,  twenty- 
one  in  number,  are  the  same  in  substance  and  almost  the 
same  in  language  as  the  twenty-five  articles  of  the  Metho- 

139 


140    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

dist  churches,  with  a  few  omissions.  Formerly  the  con- 
stituency of  the  church  was  almost  entirely  German ;  now 
it  is  largely  English. 

The  Evangelical  Association  has  twenty-six  annual  con- 
ferences. Four  of  the  conferences  are  in  other  lands :  one 
in  Canada,  one  in  Germany,  one  in  Switzerland,  and  one 
in  Japan. 

The  church  is  in  a  divided  state.  In  October,  1891, 
two  bodies,  each  claiming  to  be  the  legal  general  confer- 
ence, were  held,  one  in  Indianapolis,  the  other  in  Phila- 
delphia, and  each  elected  a  different  set  of  bishops  and 
general  church  officers.  The  differences  are  of  long  stand- 
ing. They  were  augmented  in  the  application  in  1 890  and 
1891  of  disciplinary  processes  to  the  three  bishops  of  the 
Association,  all  of  whom  were  tried  and  suspended.  The 
Philadelphia  General  Conference  took  order  restoring 
Bishop  Dubs  to  his  functions.  That  of  Indianapolis,  rep- 
resenting the  majority,  declared  the  proceedings  against 
Bishops  Esher  and  Bowman  void.  The  secular  courts  have 
been  appealed  to  in  various  cases,  and  have  decided  gen- 
erally in  favor  of  the  Indianapolis  Conference.  The  church 
was  divided  into  two  bodies  in  1894. 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION. 


141 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 

Church          Seating          Value  of 

Com- 

STATES. 

v^nurcn               Ca-                Church 

muni- 

hxunces.         pacity.          Property. 

cants. 

California  

J3 

10         2,350      $72,100 

472 

Colorado  

3 

I                 150               1,  600 

87 

Florida  

2 

4            450           2,000 

69 

Illinois  

134 

132       35,000       438,500 

10,934 

Indiana  

124 

104^   30,445       214,390 

6,738 

Iowa  

188 

147       30,910       299,235 

9,76i 

Kansas  

96 

50       10,060         85,600 

4,459 

Kentucky  

3 

3            850         16,000 

213 

Maryland  

14         5,800       123,900 

i,743 

Michigan  

134 

97       22,775       188,450 

6,677 

Minnesota  

89       17,165       170,550 

6,181 

Missouri  

26 

20        6,750        39,7oo 

1,102 

Nebraska  

81 

47         8,935         86,100 

3,458 

New  Jersey  

10 

10        2,675         59,250 

669 

New  York  

86 

80^    18,870       401,850 

6,222 

North  Dakota  

31 

10         2,035         21,100 

784 

Ohio  

216 

2I5X   60,835       491,975 

14,673 

Oregon  

25 

24        3,300         63,900 

1,199 

Pennsylvania  

662 

627^  178,75°    1,590,605 

42,379 

South  Dakota  

74 

15         2,280         20,450 

1,628 

Texas  

8 

7         1,400         22,950 

296 

Washington  

7 

6         1,200         14,900 

451 

West  Virginia  

15 

13         2,825           5,475 

565 

Wisconsin  

224 

172       33,525       355,ioo 

12,553 

Total  

2,310 

1,899     479,335  $4,785,680 

133,313 

SUMMARY 

BY  CONFERENCES. 

CONFERENCES. 

Atlantic  

30 

30       9,625    $317,250 

2,903 

California  

13 

10        2,350        72,100 

472 

Cen'l  Pennsylvania. 

259 

253K  76,900      487,315 

15,616 

Dakota  

in 

25        4,315        41,550 

2,512 

Des  Moines  

77 

61       14,620       117,500 

4,592 

East  Pennsylvania  .  . 

218 

2i8X    59,790       778,265 

17,899 

Erie  

49 

47       12,775       211,400 

3,996 

Illinois  

106 

105       30,200       397,250 

9,570 

Indiana  

132 

U3i     33,470       228,265 

7,140 

Iowa  

108 

83       15,740       178,135 

5,069 

Kansas  

H5 

71       16,860       124,900 

5,533 

Michigan  

108       25,275       205,700 

7,386 

142     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES. — Continued. 


CONFERENCES. 

Minnesota  

Organi- 
zations. 

128 

Church 
Edifices. 

80 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

I7,l6i; 

Va4ue  of 
Church 
Property. 

$170,1;  so 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

6,08  1 

Nebraska  

61 

74 

C,4.CO 

64.,Qi;o 

2,126 

New  York  

71 

66 

1C,  370 

262,2^0 

C.2QC 

Ohio  

138 

I4.O 

78,871; 

20^,600 

8,QQQ 

Oregon  
Pittsburg  

32 
208 

30 
178 

4,500 
4.8,771; 

78,800 

26^,^00 

u,yyy 

1,650 
0,778 

Platte  River  

TO 

11 

3i?85 

27,  ICO 

1,4/17 

South  Indiana  .    . 

44 

AA 

8,800 

80,7,00 

2,741 

Texas  

8 

7 

1,4.00 

22,Qt;O 

'J^^ 
206 

Wisconsin  

227 

177 

'I7.C7C 

7<;7,2OO 

*s 
I2,6C2 

Total 2,310   1,899     479>335  $4,785,680    133,313 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

THE   FRIENDS. 

THE  Friends,  or  Quakers,  as  they  are  often  called,  own 
as  their  founder  George  Fox,  an  Englishman,  born  in  Dray- 
ton,  Leicestershire,  in  1624.  He  began  to  preach  experi- 
mental holiness  of  heart  and  life  in  1647.  He  had  large 
congregations,  and  in  1656  was  assisted  by  sixty  ministers. 
The  first  general  meeting  of  Friends  was  held  in  London 
in  1668,  the  second  in  1672.  The  Yearly  Meeting  was 
established  in  1678.  Encountering  much  opposition  and 
severe  persecution  in  England,  many  Friends  emigrated  to 
this  country.  A  few  arrived  at  Boston  in  1656,  whence 
they  were  subsequently  scattered  by  persecution;  many 
came  to  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania  after  1674. 

The  first  Yearly  Meeting  in  America  is  believed  to  have 
been  held  in  Rhode  Island  in  1661.  George  Fox  met 
with  it  in  1672,  and  in  1683  it  was  set  off  from  the  Lon- 
don Yearly  Meeting.  It  was  held  regularly  at  Newport 
until  1878.  Since  that  date  it  has  alternated  between 
Newport  and  Portland,  Me.  Yearly  Meetings  were  organ- 
ized in  Maryland  in  1672,  in  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey 
in  1 68 1,  in  North  Carolina  in  1708,  and  in  Ohio  in  1812. 

The  Friends  have  no  creed,  no  liturgy,  and  no  sacra- 
ments. They  believe  in  a  spiritual  baptism  and  a  spiritual 
communion,  and  hold  that  the  outward  rites  are  unnec- 
essary. They  accept  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  as  a 

143 


144    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 

divine  revelation,  and  in  general  the  doctrine  of  the  atone- 
ment by  Christ  and  sanctification  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Belief  in  the  "  immediate  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit "  is 
pronounced  by  President  Chase,  of  Haverford  College,  the 
most  distinctive  feature  of  their  faith.  They  believe  in  the 
guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  worship  and  all  religious 
acts.  Periods  of  silence  occur  in  their  meetings,  when  no 
one  feels  called  upon  to  speak,  and  when  each  worshiper 
is  engaged  in  communion  with  God  and  inward  acts  of 
devotion.  The  Friends  believe  that  a  direct  call  to  the 
ministry  comes  to  persons  old  or  young  or  of  either  sex. 
Those  who,  after  a  sufficient  probation,  give  evidence  of 
a  divine  call  are  acknowledged  as  ministers,  and  allowed 
seats  at  the  head  of  the  meeting.  Besides  ministers,  there 
are  in  the  local  meetings  or  congregations,  elders  of  both 
sexes,  who  are  appointed  by  Monthly  Meetings,  and  who 
advise  the  ministers,  and,  if  necessary,  admonish  them. 

Their  societies  or  congregations  are  usually  called  meet- 
ings, and  their  houses  of  worship  meeting-houses.  There 
are  Monthly  Meetings,  embracing  a  number  of  local  meet- 
ings. They  deal  with  cases  of  discipline,  accept  or  dissolve 
local  meetings,  and  are  subordinate  to  Quarterly  Meetings, 
to  which  they  send  representatives.  Quarterly  Meetings 
hear  appeals  from  Monthly  Meetings,  record  certificates  of 
ministers,  and  institute  or  dissolve  Monthly  Meetings.  The 
highest  body  is  the  Yearly  Meeting.  No  Quarterly  Meet- 
ing can  be  set  up  without  its  consent.  It  receives  and 
determines  appeals  from  Quarterly  Meetings,  and  issues 
advice  or  extends  care  to  subordinate  meetings. 

The  Friends  are  divided  into  four  bodies,  popularly  dis- 
tinguished as  (i)  Orthodox,  (2)  Hicksite,  (3)  Wilburite, 
and  (4)  Primitive. 


THE  FRIENDS.  145 

I. — THE  FRIENDS   (ORTHODOX). 

These  constitute  by  far  the  most  numerous  branch.  In 
1887,  at  a  General  Conference  held  in  Richmond,  Ind., 
they  adopted  a  "  Declaration  of  Christian  Doctrine,"  as  an 
expression  of  "  those  fundamental  doctrines  of  Christian 
truth  that  have  always  been  professed  by  our  branch  of 
the  Church  of  Christ."  This  declaration  sets  forth  the 
evangelical  view  of  the  Trinity,  the  Scriptures,  the  fall  of 
man,  justification  and  regeneration,  the  resurrection  and 
the  final  judgment,  the  issues  of  which  are  eternal.  In 
the  article  on  the  Holy  Spirit  these  sentences  appear: 

"  We  own  no  principle  of  spiritual  light,  life,  or  holiness, 
inherent  by  nature  in  the  mind  or  heart  of  man.  We 
believe  in  no  principle  of  spiritual  light,  life,  or  holiness, 
but  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  bestowed  on 
mankind,  in  various  measures  and  degrees,  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord." 

The  article  on  public  worship  recognizes  "  the  value  of 
silence,  not  as  an  end,  but  as  a  means  toward  the  attain- 
ment of  the  end — a  silence  not  of  listlessness  or  of  vacant 
musing,  but  of  holy  expectation  before  the  Lord." 

The  discipline  of  the  Western  Yearly  Meeting  makes  as 
"  disownable  offenses,"  for  which  members  are  disowned 
or  excommunicated,  denial  of  the  divinity  of  Christ,  the 
revelation  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  divine  authenticity  of 
the  Scriptures ;  engaging  in  the  liquor  traffic,  drunkenness, 
profanity,  joining  the  army  or  encouraging  war,  betting, 
participating  in  lotteries,  dishonesty,  taking  or  administer- 
ing oaths,  etc. 

Each  Yearly  Meeting  has  its  own  discipline,  but  fellow- 
ship is  maintained  between  them  by  epistolary  correspond- 


146    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

ence.  There  is  also  a  general  agreement  between  them 
on  the  fundamentals  of  doctrine  and  discipline.  The  Phila- 
delphia Yearly  Meeting,  which  is  one  of  the  oldest,  has 
a  discipline  incorporating  various  decisions  and  advices 
adopted  since  its  organization  in  1 68 1. 

There  are  10  Yearly  Meetings,  with  794  organizations, 
725  church  edifices,  valued  at  $2,795,784,  and  80,655 
members.  The  average  seating  capacity  of  their  edifices 
is  297,  and  their  average  value  $3718.  Halls  to  the  num- 
ber of  90,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  7085,  are  occupied. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Arkansas  

5 

3 

500 

$1,950 

338 

California  

ii 

7 

1,785 

14,100 

1,009 

Colorado  

i 

i 

1  2O 

300 

38 

Delaware  

i 

i 

260 

IIjOOO 

122 

Dist.  of  Columbia  .  . 

i 

J9 

Florida  

2 

2 

375 

1,200 

70 

Illinois  

21 

23 

6,i55 

36,760 

2,015 

Indiana  

188 

172 

54,775 

325,577 

25,915 

Indian  Territory  .  .  . 

10 

3 

250 

1,300 

468 

Iowa  

74 

73 

19,795 

102,632 

8,146 

Kansas  

65 

5i 

H,3°4 

74,415 

7,762 

Louisiana  

i 

66 

Maine  

23 

21 

5,653 

35,975 

1,430 

Maryland  

6 

6 

2,025 

77,800 

525 

Massachusetts  

28 

28 

6,370 

117,700 

1,560 

Michigan  

i? 

16 

4,550 

26,500 

i,433 

Minnesota  

6 

3 

675 

35»ioo 

305 

Missouri  

5 

95° 

10,800 

615 

Nebraska  

13 

8 

1,354 

4,800 

782 

New  Hampshire  .  .  . 

10 

ii 

2,860 

8,800 

4i3 

New  Jersey  

20 

21 

6,655 

84,200 

982 

New  York  

50 

47 

10,270 

203,900 

3,644 

North  Carolina  .... 

47 

43 

17,475 

36,850 

4,904 

Ohio  

95 

94 

3i,93o 

202,250 

10,884 

Oklahoma  

2 

2 

180 

1,225 

108 

Oregon  

7 

6 

2,125 

10,550 

766 

THE  FRIENDS. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. — Continued. 


STATES.                         * 

Pennsylvania  

)rgani- 
ations. 

•7Q 

Church 
Edifices. 

A-i 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

I  •a   A  A  C 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

I  27Q.7OO 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

3.4.QO 

Rhode  Island  

jy 
1  1 

*rj 
1  1 

ijtWy 
•2  720 

c8.8oo 

617 

South  Dakota  

2 

4.7  c 

1,000 

266 

Tennessee  

1C 

8 

2,Q7C 

9,4.00 

I,OOI 

Texas  

I 

1  20 

Vermont 

C7C 

A    8OO 

251 

Virginia  
W^est  Virginia    .... 

7 

i 

7 

i 

jf  j 
2,300 
I  CO 

14,900 

4.OO 

387 

CQ 

Wisconsin  

•5 

2 

4.OO 

I,  IOO 

IC4. 

Total 794      725     215,431   $2,795,784     80,655 


SUMMARY  BY  YEARLY  MEETINGS. 


YEARLY   MEETINGS. 


Baltimore 

Indiana 

Iowa 

Kansas 

New  England  . 

New  York 

North  Carolina 

Ohio 

Philadelphia  .. 
Western  . . 


17 

16 

5,150 

$101,500 

1,012 

177 

160 

51,725 

350,437 

22,105 

117 

IOO 

26,429 

168,532 

11,391 

89 

64 

16,084 

88,940 

9,347 

72 

71 

18,603 

221,275 

4,020 

54 

51 

10,845 

208,700 

3,895 

62 

51 

20,450 

46,250 

5,905 

47 

48 

15,475 

90,950 

4,733 

57 

62 

'9>535 

1,366,100 

4,513 

102 

102 

31,135 

153,100 

13,734 

Total 794      725     215,431    $2,795,784     80,655 

2. — THE   FRIENDS   (HICKSITE). 

This  body  of  Friends  is  so  named  from  Elias  Hicks,  a 
minister  who  was  foremost  in  preaching  doctrines  which 
became  a  cause  of  separation.  They  object  to  being  called 
Hicksites.  Elias  Hicks  was  born  in  1748,  and  died  in 
1830.  He  emphasized  the  principle  of  "obedience  to  the 
light  within,"  and  so  stated  the  doctrines  of  the  preexist- 
ence,  deity,  incarnation,  and  vicarious  atonement  of  Christ, 
of  the  personality  of  Satan,  and  of  eternal  punishment, 


148     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


that  he  was  charged  with  being  more  or  less  in  sympathy 
with  Unitarianism. 

Those  identified  with  this  body  of  Friends  insist  that 
Mr.  Hicks's  views  were  "exactly  those  of  Robert  Barclay," 
an  English  Friend  of  the  seventeenth  century,  whose 
"Apology  for  the  True  Christian  Divinity  "  is  still  regarded 
as  a  fair  exposition  of  the  doctrinal  views  of  Friends.  They 
decline  to  make  orthodox  theology  a  test  of  membership. 

The  separation  took  place  in  the  Philadelphia  Yearly 
Meeting  in  1827,  and  in  New  York,  Baltimore,  Ohio,  and 
Indiana  in  1 828.  There  was  no  separation  in  New  England 
or  North  Carolina.  The  Genesee,  in  western  New  York,  and 
the  Illinois  Yearly  Meetings  were  formed  many  years  later. 

They  have  7  Yearly  Meetings,  with  201  organizations, 
213  church  edifices,  valued  at  $1,661,850,  and  21,992 
members.  The  average  seating  capacity  of  their  church 
edifices  is  341,  and  their  average  value  $7802.  They  oc- 
cupy 4  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  325. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

6 

1,440 

$54,500 

622 

I 

300 

50,000 

40 

4 

870 

4,900 

440 

8 

2,550 

47,100 

1,376 

4 

1,300 

3,8oo 

440 

18 

5,410 

133,050 

1,547 

i 
i 

IOO 
200 

400 
1,400 

,18 

26 

9,980 

183,500 

2,279 

45 

13,575 

561,850 

3,33i 

18 

4,485 

61,350 

1,187 

74 

29,158 

546,700 

10,001 

7 

3,200 

13*300 

506 

Organi- 
zations. 


Delaware  .........  6 

District  of  Columbia  i 

Illinois  ............  5 

Indiana  ...........  8 

Iowa  .............  4 

Maryland  .........  17 

Michigan  .........  I 

Nebraska  .........  3 

New  Jersey  ........  23 

New  York  .........  45 

Ohio  .............  16 

Pennsylvania  ......  65 

Virginia  ..........  7 


Total 201       213       72,568    $1,661,850     21,992 


THE  FRIENDS. 


149 


Seating 

Value  of 

Com- 

,hurch 

A\G.~-c- 

Ca- 

Church 

muni- 

ainccs. 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

30 

10,490 

$211,300 

2,797 

13 

3,900 

14,500 

75i 

II 

2,92O 

II,IOO 

1,301 

H 

3,885 

97,100 

i,743 

37 
9 

10,950 

567,250 
8,850 

2'^i 

99 

37,'923 

751,750 

12,029 

SUMMARY  BY  YEARLY  MEETINGS. 

YEARLY    MEETINGS.  %g£ 

Baltimore 29 

Genesee 13 

Illinois 14 

Indiana 12 

New  York 36 

Ohio 9 

Philadelphia 88 

Total 201       213       72,568   $1,661,850     21,992 

3. — THE   FRIENDS   (WILBURITE). 

The  Wilburite  Friends  are  thus  called  because  John 
Wilbur,  of  New  England,  was  their  principal  leader  in 
opposing  Joseph  J.  Gurney  and  his  teaching.  They  sep- 
arated from  the  Orthodox  body  in  the  New  England 
Yearly  Meeting  in  1845,  in  the  Ohio  in  1854,  and  in  the 
western  Iowa  and  Kansas  in  1877.  They  are  very  con- 
servative, and  were  unwilling  to  adopt  the  new  methods 
devised  as  the  church  became  aggressive  in  evangelistic 
and  missionary  work.  They  make  much  of  the  doctrine 
of  the  light  within,  holding  that  every  man,  by  reason  of 
the  atonement,  has  an  inward  seed,  or  light,  given  him, 
which,  as  it  is  heeded,  will  lead  him  to  salvation.  They 
deny  instantaneous  conversion  and  the  resurrection  of  the 
body.  The  controlling  portion  of  the  Philadelphia  Yearly 
Meeting  hold  to  the  views  of  Wilbur,  though  they  have 
not  separated  from  the  body  of  the  church  further  than  to 
decline  epistolary  correspondence  with  it.  They  are  counted 
with  the  Orthodox  branch. 

The  Wilburite  Friends  have  5  Yearly  Meetings,  with 
52  organizations,  52  church  edifices,  valued  at  $67,000,  and 


150    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

4329  members.  They  are  represented  in  the  States  of 
Indiana,  Iowa,  Kansas,  Massachusetts,  Ohio,  Pennsylvania, 
and  Rhode  Island.  The  average  seating  capacity  of  their 
church  edifices  is  253,  and  the  average  value  $1288. 
There  are  no  halls.  A  single  private  house  is  occupied. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Indiana 9 

Iowa 

Kansas 

Massachusetts  . . 

Ohio 

Pennsylvania  . . . 
Rhode  Island 3 


Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

9 

9 

1,810 

$8,200 

489 

12 

13 

2,925 

12,350 

1,539 

5 

5 

2,030 

10,400 

495 

2 

2 

480 

3,500 

28 

2O 

20 

5,534 

24,900 

1,676 

I 

I 

140 

650 

30 

3 

2 

250 

7,000 

72 

Total . . 


52        13,169         $67,000       4,329 


SUMMARY  BY  YEARLY  MEETINGS. 


YEARLY  MEETINGS. 


Iowa  

7 

7 

I,  coo 

$7,ooo 

714 

Kansas  

C 

c 

2,030 

10,400 

4.OC 

New  England  .... 

E 

4. 

730 

IO,  C.OO 

IOO 

Ohio  

.  .       24 

25 

/J 
6,735 

30,200 

2,451 

Western  .  . 

II 

II 

2,174 

8,000 

«;6o 

Total 52         52        13,169        $67,000       4,329 


4. — THE   FRIENDS   (PRIMITIVE). 

The  Primitive  Friends  are  in  faith  and  practice  Wilburite. 
They  separated  from  the  Philadelphia  Yearly  Meeting  be- 
cause that  body  refused  to  correspond  with  the  New  Eng- 
land and  Ohio  (Wilbur)  Yearly  Meetings,  and  they  do  not 
affiliate  with  the  latter  because  they  recognize  the  Phila- 
delphia meeting  by  ministerial  visitations  and  by  exchang- 
ing certificates  of  membership. 


THE  FRIENDS.  151 

They  have  9  organizations,  5  church  edifices,  valued  at 
$16,700,  and  232  members.  They  are  found  only  in 
Massachusetts,  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  and  Rhode  Island. 
The  average  seating  capacity  of  their  church  edifices  is 
210,  and  the  average  value  $3340.  One  hall,  with  a  seat- 
ing capacity  of  50,  and  3  private  houses  are  occupied. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Massachusetts 
New  York .... 
Pennsylvania . 
Rhode  Island. 


Total 


Oreani-    Church 
zations.   Edifices. 


Searing 


20O 
40O 
450 


Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$1,000 

1,700 
14,000 


5       1,050        $16,700 


Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

14 


9 
232 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES  OF  ALL  FRIENDS. 


Arkansas  

5 

3 

500 

$1,950 

338 

California  

ii 

7 

1,785 

14,100 

1,009 

Colorado  

i 

i 

120 

300 

38 

Delaware  

7 

7 

1,700 

65,500 

744 

District  of  Columbia. 

2 

i 

300 

50,000 

59 

Florida  

2 

2 

375 

1,200 

70 

Illinois  

26 

27 

7,025 

4I,660 

2,455 

Indiana    

205 

I89 

59>i35 

380,877 

27,780 

Indian  Territory  

IO 

3 

250 

1,300 

468 

Iowa  

90 

00 

24,020 

118,782 

10,125 

Kansas  

70 

56 

16,334 

84,815 

8,257 

Louisiana  

I 

66 

Maine  

23 

21 

5»653 

35,975 

i,43o 

Maryland  

23 

24 

7,435 

210,850 

2,072 

Massachusetts  

32 

$1 

7,050 

122,200 

1,602 

Michigan  

18 

17 

4,650 

26,000 

1,458 

Minnesota  

6 

3 

675 

35,ioo 

305 

Missouri  

5 

5 

950 

10,800 

615 

Nebraska  

16 

9 

1,554 

6,200 

980 

New  Hampshire  .... 

10 

II 

2,860 

8,800 

413 

New  Jersey  

43 

47 

16,635 

271,700 

3,261 

New  York  

97 

94 

24,245 

767,450 

7,078 

North  Carolina  

47 

43 

17,475 

36,850 

4,904 

152     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES  OF  ALL  FRIENDS.— Continued. 


STATES. 

Ohio  

Organi- 
zations. 

131 

Church 
edifices. 

132 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

4.1  ,Q4.Q 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$288  soo 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

13.74.7 

Oklahoma  

.  .  .              2 

2 

1  80 

I  221 

1  08 

Oregon        ... 

7 

6 

2.  121 

IO  11O 

766 

Pennsylvania  .... 

108 

1  20 

43.IQ3 

1.  841,010 

13,627 

Rhode  Island 

16 

13 

3Q7O 

6l  8OO 

608 

South  Dakota  .  .  . 

4 

*j 

2 

>y/v 
4.7  c 

I,OOO 

266 

Tennessee 

1C 

g 

2  Q71 

Q.4OO 

I,OOI 

Texas  

.  .  .             I 

*>yt  j 

1  20 

Vermont  

4 

eye 

4,8OO 

211 

Virginia  

14. 

14. 

5  .CQO 

28,2OO 

803 

West  Virginia  .  .  . 

.  .  .             I 

I 

ICQ 

4OO 

CO 

Wisconsin  

7 

2 

4OO 

I^IOO 

114 

Total.. 

,    1,016 

QQ1     • 

tO2,2l8    1 

$4,'J4I,3U 

107,208 

CHAPTER   XXII. 

FRIENDS   OF  THE  TEMPLE. 

THIS  is  a  small  body  which  had  its  origin  in  Wurtem- 
burg,  Germany,  upward  of  fifty  years  ago.  It  is  variously 
called  Temple  Society,  Friends  of  the  Temple,  "  Hoffmann- 
ites."  The  Rev.  Christopher  Hoffmann,  president  of  the 
Temple  colonies  in  Palestine,  and  author  of  most  of  its 
standard  literature,  appears  to  be  its  chief  leader. 

The  Friends  of  the  Temple  have  for  their  great  object 
the  gathering  of  the  people  of  God  in  Palestine.  To  this 
end  they  constitute  Temples,  i.e.,  spiritual  communities,  in 
various  countries,  and  these  assist  in  the  construction  of 
the  Temple  in  the  Holy  Land,  which  is  to  become  a  center 
for  regenerated  humanity.  They  believe  in  the  power 
of  God  which  raised  Christ  from  the  dead,  to  build  up  a 
"  spiritual  house,  a  holy  priesthood,"  and  without  formu- 
lating their  doctrines  declare  their  full  acceptance  of  the 
Scriptures,  of  the  law  of  Moses  as  well  as  the  Gospel  of 
Christ.  They  believe  that  all  the  prophecies  will  be  fulfilled, 
and  that  as  Christ  came  to  work  out  the  fulfillment,  that 
should  also  be  the  mission  of  his  followers.  The  chief  task 
of  the  Temple  Society  is  to  secure  the  spiritual  develop- 
ment of  its  members,  who  are  under  the  oversight  of  presi- 
dents and  other  officers,  and  meet  for  worship  on  Sundays 
and  on  special  occasions.  No  regulations  have  been  adopted 
concerning  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  individual  con- 
victions being  allowed  full  play. 


154    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 

In  1874  the  Temple  Society  established  four  colonies  in 
Palestine — at  Joppa,  Sharon,  Haifa,  and  Jerusalem.  The 
cost  of  these  colonies  has  been  met  in  large  part  by  volun- 
tary contributions. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Kansas 

New  York 3 

Total.. 


Organi-    Church 
zations.    Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

I            I 

200 

$800 

55 

3        4 

950 

14,500 

285 

1,150     $15,3°°      340 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE  GERMAN  EVANGELICAL  PROTESTANT  CHURCH. 

THIS  is  a  body  of  scattered  congregations,  with  a  center 
in  Cincinnati.  Some  of  its  churches  are  a  century  old,  and 
some  are  quite  new.  The  German  language  is  almost 
exclusively  spoken.  In  theology  it  is  very  liberal,  ration- 
alistic views  generally  prevailing.  It  has  no  sy nodical 
organization,  but  there  are  non- ecclesiastical  associations, 
or  vereine,  of  ministers. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Illinois     

Organi- 
zations. 

2 

Church 
Edifices. 

2 

Searing 
Ca- 
pacity. 

800 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$l6.OOO 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

775 

Indiana  

8 

7 

7.27O 

54..  I5O 

!,886 

Kentucky  , 

•5 

2 

2,IOO 

5I.OOO 

I.25O 

Louisiana  

I 

I 

I,OOO 

4.O.OOO 

3,5OO 

Missouri  , 

2 

2 

2,6OO 

7O.OOO 

I.7OO 

Nebraska  

I 

I 

2OO 

5.OOO 

4.O 

Ohio  

22 

27 

4.38,800 

1  1,70-5 

Pennsylvania 

IO 

665  6 

439  ooo 

12.287 

Texas          

2 

2 

1,000 

IO  5OO 

T.Q5O 

\Vest  Virginia  .  .  , 

2 

2 

I.7OO 

67.000 

I.QIC 

Total 52        52      35,175     $1,187,450    36,156 


'55 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 

THE   GERMAN   EVANGELICAL   SYNOD. 

THE  German  Evangelical  Synod  of  North  America  rep- 
resents in  this  country  the  State  church  of  Prussia,  which 
is  a  union  of  Lutheran  and  Reformed  elements.  The 
first  ecclesiastical  organization  was  formed  October  15, 
1 840,  at  a  meeting  held  at  Gravois  Settlement,  in  Missouri, 
by  six  evangelical  ministers.  Out  of  the  principles  then 
agreed  upon  the  constitution  of  the  Synod  has  been  grad- 
ually developed.  In  1850  the  Society  formed  in  Missouri 
and  the  German  Evangelical  Society  of  Ohio,  formed  in 
1850,  united.  To  this  union  there  was  a  further  addition 
in  1860,  when  the  United  Evangelical  Society  of  the  East 
was  consolidated  with  it.  In  1872  two  other  bodies — the 
Evangelical  Synod  of  the  Northwest  and  the  United 
Evangelical  Synod  of  the  East — entered  and  completed 
the  union.  All  were  kindred  bodies,  holding  the  same 
doctrines  and  governed  by  the  same  ecclesiastical  prin- 
ciples. 

The  Synod  accepts  the  Bible  as  the  only  rule  of  faith 
and  practice,  holding  to  the  Augsburg  Confession,  Luther's 
Catechism,  and  the  Heidelberg  Catechism,  in  so  far  as 
they  agree  with  one  another,  as  correct  interpretations  of 
it.  Concerning  those  points  on  which  these  symbols  do 
not  agree  the  Synod  stands  upon  the  Scripture  passages 
relating  to  them,  and  allows  liberty  of  conscience. 

156 


THE   GERMAN  EVANGELICAL  SYNOD. 


157 


The  church  is  divided  into  districts,  of  which  there  are 
fifteen.  They  correspond  as  nearly  as  possible  to  synods 
in  the  Lutheran  Church.  A  General  Conference  repre- 
senting the  whole  church  meets  once  every  three  years. 
It  is  composed  of  the  presidents  of  the  districts,  and  of 
delegates,  clerical  and  lay,  in  the  proportion  of  one  for 
every  nine  ministers  and  one  for  every  nine  churches. 

Since  1872,  when  the  union  of  the  various  Evangelical 
Societies  was  completed,  the  church  has  grown  rapidly. 
It  had  then  219  organizations  and  8032  communicants. 
Now  it  has  870  organizations  and  187,432  communicants 
— the  organizations  having  been  multiplied  by  4  in  this 
period  of  eighteen  years,  and  the  communicants  by  23. 
It  is  represented  in  twenty-two  States,  being  strongest  in 
Illinois,  37,138;  Ohio,  31,617;  Missouri,  25,676;  and 
New  York,  17,409. 

The  average  seating  capacity  of  its  church  edifices  is 
313,  and  the  average  value  $5878.  It  also  holds  meet- 
ings in  83  halls,  which  have  a  seating  capacity  of  5970. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATUS. 

California 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

618 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$8  4.60 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

315 

Colorado 

2 

I 

250 

l8,OOO 

135 

Illinois 

164 

15  C 

4.7  08  1 

8l3.45O 

37,138 

Indiana 

7C 

1J  J 

7c 

22  635 

01J>72 
337,660 

15,274 

Iowa  ..... 

5Q 

43 

1  1.  4.13 

1  10,300 

6.QO2 

Kansas  

28 

**O 

IQ^f 

3,704. 

37,710 

2,O53 

Kentucky  
Louisiana  

II 
* 

10 
•3 

5,525 

I.  55O 

137,400 
26,4^0 

4,912 
I,25O 

Maryland 

12 

I  I 

6  3OO 

223.  SCO 

4,4O5 

Michigan 

CQ 

4.3 

14.  7IO 

242,4i\O 

IO,Q26 

Minnesota  
Missouri  

•     53 

.     124. 

40 
II55/ 

9,072 
3I.Q22 

97,900 
575,  650 

5>!62 
25,676 

Nebraska  . 

21 

IQ 

3,200 

43,500 

2,142 

158    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. — Continued. 


STATES. 

New  Jersey 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

2 

Searing 
Ca- 
pacity. 

I.IQO 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

•3Q   OOO 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

I  8OO 

New  York  

Co 

AQ 

2  1,160 

68  1  t»7o 

I7.4.OQ 

North  Dakota 
Ohio 

5 

IO7 

'ry 

106 

600 
AI.OIQ 

3,300 
8-36.200 

440 
3I.6l7 

Pennsylvania 

12 

12 

C  6?O 

112   IC.O 

e,2Q7 

Texas  

ID 

14. 

2,-?8o 

•*6,3oo 

jj^yj 
1,864 

Virginia 

I 

j 

7OO 

3O.OOO 

7OO 

West  Virginia 

2 

I 

216 

800 

114 

Wisconsin.  .  .  . 

63 

58 

14,686 

182,700 

II,4IO 

Total 870       785     245,781    $4,614,490    187,432 


SUMMARY  BY  DISTRICTS. 


Atlantic  26 

Indiana 80 

Iowa 65 

Kansas 32 

Michigan 73 

Minnesota 59 

Missouri 93 

Nebraska 21 

New  York 48 

North  Illinois 83 

Ohio 95 

South  Illinois 81 

Texas 19 

West  Missouri 33 

Wisconsin . .  62 


Total 870       785    245,781    $4,614,490    187,432 


23 

11,490 

$380,650 

9,825 

79 

31,890 

724,600 

25,444 

49 

12,973 

127,625 

7,885 

22% 

4,254 

57,250 

2,248 

66 

21,180 

332,4io 

15,937 

44 

9,842 

101,700 

6,127 

87X 

25,030 

424,650 

21,566 

17 

3,o8o 

42,000 

2,082 

48 

20,680 

639,070 

17,284 

79 

26,340 

5">675 

22,814 

93 

33,645 

582,000 

23,875 

76 

21,671 

318,900 

15,216 

H 

2,380 

36,300 

1,864 

30 

6,810 

153,460 

3,975 

57 

14,516 

182,200 

11,290 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

THE  JEWS. 

THE  first  company  of  Jews  in  this  country  came  from 
Brazil  in  1654.  The  first  synagogue  was  established  in 
Mill  Street,  New  York  City,  now  known  as  Broad  Street. 
It  was  called  the  Shearith  Israel  (Remnant  of  Israel),  and 
the  society  is  still  in  active  existence,  occupying  a  building 
on  West  Nineteenth  Street.  As  according  to  custom  ten 
males  above  the  age  of  thirteen  can  form  a  Jewish  congre- 
gation, it  is  quite  probable  that  there  was  Jewish  worship 
before  the  first  synagogue  was  opened,  although  it  was 
doubtless  conducted  with  some  secrecy,  as  a  petition  to  the 
authorities  of  New  Amsterdam  in  1685  for  the  privilege 
of  exercising  the  rites  of  the  Jewish  religion  was  denied. 
"  No  public  worship,"  so  ran  the  reply,  "  is  tolerated  by 
act  of  assembly  but  to  those  that  profess  faith  in  Christ." 
Later  some  of  the  Jews  in  New  York  removed  to  New- 
port, R.  I.,  and  there  held  regular  services,  securing  in 
1763  a  synagogue,  to  which  the  chief  contributors  were 
sons  of  the  minister  of  the  congregation,  the  Rev.  Isaac 
Touro.  One  of  these  sons,  Abraham  Touro,  gave  $10,000 
for  the  completion  of  the  Bunker  Hill  monument.  Jewish 
congregations  were  organized  in  Savannah,  Ga.,  in  1733; 
in  Lancaster,  Pa.,  in  1776;  in  Philadelphia  in  1780  and 
1782;  and  in  Charleston,  S.  C.,  in  1791.  Of  these  con- 
gregations those  in  the  South  and  one  of  those  in  Phila- 


I6O    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

delphia  used  the  ritual  of  the  Portuguese  Jews,  the  others 
that  of  the  German  Jews. 

The  Jews  of  America  have  no  religious  head.  Each 
congregation  is  autonomous,  and  responsible  to  its  mem- 
bers only.  It  is  said  that  an  effort  in  New  York  to  bring 
the  Orthodox  congregations  under  the  care  of  a  chief 
rabbi  is  not  wholly  satisfactory. 

The  statistics  of  Jewish  congregations  are  not  frequently 
or  periodically  gathered,  as  is  the  custom  of  most  religious 
denominations ;  but  twice  at  least  in  the  last  forty  years 
efforts  have  been  made  to  ascertain  the  number  of  Jewish 
congregations  in  the  United  States,  once  in  1854  and  again 
in  1880.  According  to  the  earlier  report  there  were  in 
1854  97  regularly  organized  congregations,  of  which  30 
were  in  the  State  of  New  York.  The  latter  count  was 
made  under  the  auspices  of  the  Board  of  Delegates  of 
American  Israelites  and  the  Union  of  Hebrew  Congrega- 
tions, and  it  required  several  years  to  complete  the  com- 
pilation. The  results,  which  have  been  regarded  as  quite 
accurate,  indicated  the  existence  of  270  congregations, 
with  12,546  members,  or  about  50,000  communicants. 
The  value  of  the  real  estate  held  by  the  congregations 
was  returned  at  $4,706,700,  with  other  property  aggre- 
gating $1,497,878,  or  a  total  of  $6,204,578,  exclusive  of 
bury  ing- grounds. 

The  tables  presented  herewith  show  that  there  are  533 
congregations  of  Orthodox  and  Reformed  Jews,  with  130,- 
496  communicants.  It  should  be  noted  that  in  Jewish 
congregations  the  head  of  a  family  only  is  counted.  The 
members  of  the  family  are  represented  by  one  person. 
The  number  given  as  communicants,  therefore,  does  not 
indicate  the  number  of  members  of  a  synagogue.  Mem- 


THE  JEWS.  l6l 

bers  of  families  may,  on  attaining  their  majority,  rent  a 
pew  and  be  counted  as  a  member  of  a  synagogue  or  tem- 
ple, but  they  seldom  do  so  until  they  have  a  household  of 
their  own. 

I. — THE   ORTHODOX  JEWS. 

There  are  two  branches  or  schools  of  thought  in  the 
Jewish  religion,  commonly  designated  the  Orthodox  and 
the  Reformed.  The  attempt  is  here  made  to  tabulate  the 
statistics  in  accordance  with  this  classification.  It  is  diffi- 
cult, however,  in  some  cases  to  know  how  to  draw  the 
lines.  Under  the  above  heading  those  congregations  are 
embraced  which  adhere  to  the  ancient  rites  and  ceremo- 
nies, observing  the  Bible  as  expounded  and  expanded  by 
the  prophets  and  rabbis.  The  Orthodox  Jews  accept  the 
Schulchan  Aruch  as  authoritative  in  all  its  requirements. 
It  is  a  codification,  made  by  Rabbi  Joseph  Karo  in  the 
middle  of  the  sixteenth  century,  of  the  laws  and  ceremo- 
nies expounded  by  the  rabbis  of  the  Talmud  and  handed 
down  from  generation  to  generation  by  tradition.  It  pro- 
vides for  the  minutest  details  of  Jewish  life,  and  those  who 
accept  it  consider  it  as  binding  as  the  law  of  Moses  itself. 
Halls  to  the  number  of  193,  with  a  seating  capacity  of 
24,847,  are  occupied  as  places  of  worship.  The  average 
seating  capacity  of  the  churches  is  384,  and  the  average 
value  $22,967. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 

ru-^r,;     rv,  ,^v.         Seating  Value  of  Com- 

STATES.  Or?am-    Church  Ca-  Church  muni- 

zations.   Edifices.        padty  Property.  cants. 

Alabama i  . .          325 

California    7  5  2,225  $93,000  2,344 

Colorado 4  3  800  25,500  662 

Connecticut 6  i  500  12,000  926 


1 62     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. — Continued. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

District  of  Columbia 

I 

I 

75 

$2,000 

40 

Georgia  

3 

I 

200 

8,000 

240 

Illinois  

12 

4 

2,175 

121,500 

4,405 

Indiana  

8 

3 

650 

6,500 

1,299 

Iowa  

i 

5° 

Kansas  

4 

i 

260 

12,000 

403 

Kentucky  

2 

i 

175 

1,500 

200 

Louisiana  

8 

2 

575 

20,000 

629 

Maryland  

3 

3 

1,200 

43,000 

775 

Massachusetts  

7 

4 

1,775 

110,500 

1,201 

Michigan  

6 

5 

2,150 

36,000 

2,150 

Minnesota  

3 

i 

400 

25,000 

750 

Missouri  

8 

2 

1,100 

58,000 

1,432 

Montana  

i 

140 

Nebraska  

4 

I 

100 

5,500 

55° 

New  Jersey  

19 

10 

2,575 

44,300 

2,521 

New  York  

152 

44 

21,245 

1,919,500 

29,064 

North  Carolina  

i 

i 

180 

6,500 

73 

North  Dakota  

i 

3° 

Ohio  

17 

6 

2,790 

67,000 

2,3I3 

Oregon  

2 

i 

350 

16,000 

475 

Pennsylvania  

17 

13 

2,862 

116,250 

2,447 

Rhode  Island  

3 

i 

200 

20,000 

685 

Tennessee  

4 

3 

1,450 

8,500 

425 

Texas  

i 

65 

Vermont  

i 

44 

Virginia  

4 

3 

675 

17,000 

493 

Washington  

I 

150 

Wisconsin  

4 

2 

150 

7,000 

291 

Total 316    122       46,837     $2,802,050     57,597 

2. — THE   REFORMED  JEWS. 

Under  this  classification  are  included  all  Jewish  congre- 
gations which  do  not  recognize  as  absolute  the  authority 
of  the  Schulchan  Aruch.  In  some  cases  the  departure 
from  orthodoxy  is  slight,  as  in  worshiping  with  the  hat  off, 
the  mingling  of  the  sexes  in  the  synagogue  or  temple,  and 
the  introduction  of  the  organ  and  female  choir.  There 


THE  JEWS. 


163 


are  38  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  6360,  occupied  as 
places  of  worship.  The  average  seating  capacity  of  the 
edifices  is  516,  and  their  average  value  $38,839,  which 
is  unequaled. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Alabama  

7 

5 

3,050 

$103,500 

2,843 

Arkansas  

5 

5 

1,450 

44,000 

744 

California  

8 

7 

3.I50 

303,000 

3,835 

Colorado  

i 

i 

600 

50,000 

400 

Connecticut  

2 

2 

850 

75,000 

695 

District  of  Columbia 

I 

I 

900 

40,000 

936 

Florida  

2 

2 

318 

I3,5oo 

H7 

Georgia  

6 

6 

2,900 

151,000 

1,846 

Illinois  

12 

II 

6,645 

465,000 

5,766 

Indiana  

15 

13 

4,050 

160,000 

2,318 

Iowa  

* 

4 

1,160 

58,000 

487 

Kansas  

2 

83 

Kentucky  

5 

4 

850 

16,000 

755 

Louisiana  

5 

4 

2,875 

255,000 

2,745 

Maryland  

9 

6 

3,9oo 

223,500 

2,800 

Massachusetts  

2 

2 

2,440 

135,000 

1,300 

Michigan  

4 

4 

1,900 

118,000 

i,543 

Minnesota  

2 

2 

724 

45,000 

674 

Mississippi  
Missouri  

6 
9 

I 

i,75o 
3,033 

64,000 
183,800 

i,37o 
3,018 

Nebraska  

2 

I 

500 

15,000 

512 

New  Jersey  

5 

4 

3,420 

124,000 

i,755 

New  Mexico  

i 

5° 

New  York  

27 

25 

18,927 

2,395,7oo 

i6,743 

North  Carolina  .... 

3 

i 

400 

30,000 

3*3 

Ohio  

17 

13 

7,020 

636,225 

6,S76 

Oregon  

i 

i 

850 

80,000 

690 

Pennsylvania  

18 

15 

7,980 

552,500 

5,582 

Rhode  Island  

2 

i 

420 

25,000 

225 

South  Carolina  

3 

3 

850 

78,000 

800 

Tennessee  

5 

4 

2,950 

106,000 

i,335 

Texas  

10 

8 

2,380 

182,000 

1,929 

Utah  

i 

i 

750 

40,000 

100 

Virginia  

7 

6 

1,875 

70,500 

694 

West  Virginia  

3 

2 

650 

9,000 

350 

Wisconsin  

4 

4 

1,880 

105,000 

940 

Total 217       179      92,397       $6,952,225     72,899 


1 64    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES  OF  ALL  JEWS. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Scaring 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Alabama  

8 

5 

3>050 

$103,500 

3,168 

Arkansas  

5 

5 

1,450 

44,000 

744 

California  

15 

12 

5,375 

396,000 

6,179 

Colorado  

5 

4 

1,400 

75>5°° 

1,062 

Connecticut  

8 

3 

i>35° 

87,000 

1,621 

District  of  Columbia 

2 

2 

975 

42,000 

976 

Florida  

2 

2 

3i8 

13,500 

H7 

Georgia  

9 

7 

3,100 

159,000 

2,086 

Illinois  

24 

15 

8,820 

586,500 

10,171 

Indiana  

23 

16 

4,700 

166,500 

3,6i7 

Iowa  

6 

4 

1,160 

58,000 

537 

Kansas  

6 

i 

260 

12,000 

486 

Kentucky  

7 

5 

1,025 

17,500 

955 

Louisiana  

*3 

6 

3,45° 

275,000 

3,374 

Maryland  

12 

9 

5,100 

266,500 

3,575 

Massachusetts  

9 

6 

4,215 

245,500 

2,501 

Michigan  

IO 

9 

4,050 

154,000 

3,693 

Minnesota  

5 

3 

1,124 

70,000 

1,424 

Mississippi  

6 

5 

i>75° 

64,000 

i,37o 

Missouri  

17 

8 

4,133 

241,800 

4,450 

Montana  

i 

140 

Nebraska  

6 

2 

600 

20,500 

1,062 

New  Jersey  

24 

H 

4,995 

168,300 

4,276 

New  Mexico  

i 

50 

New  York  

179 

6q 

40,172 

4,315,200 

45,807 

North  Carolina  

4 

2 

580 

36,500 

386 

North  Dakota  

i 

3° 

Ohio  

34 

19 

9,810 

703,225 

8,889 

Oregon  

3 

2 

1,200 

96,000 

1,165 

Pennsylvania  

35 

28 

10,842 

668,750 

8,029 

Rhode  Island  

5 

2 

620 

45,000 

910 

South  Carolina  

3 

3 

850 

78,000 

800 

Tennessee  

9 

7 

4,400 

114,500 

1,760 

Texas  

ii 

8 

2,380 

182,000 

i,994 

Utah  

i 

i 

750 

40,000 

IOO 

Vermont  

i 

44 

Virginia  

ii 

9 

2,550 

87,500 

1,187 

Washington  

i 

150 

West  Virginia  

3 

2 

650 

9,000 

350 

Wisconsin  

8 

6 

2,030 

112,000 

1,231 

Total 


533     3oi     139,234  $9,754,275     130,496 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

THE   LATTER-DAY   SAINTS. 

THE  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-Day  Saints  is  of 
American  origin.  It  was  founded  in  1830  by  Joseph 
Smith,  its  first  Prophet.  He  was  born  in  Sharon,  Vt,  in 
1805,  removing  to  Palmyra,  N.  Y.,  ten  years  later.  Be- 
tween the  ages  of  fourteen  and  fifteen  he  began  earnestly 
to  inquire  how  he  could  with  certainty  save  his  soul,  and 
how  he  might  ascertain  which  one  of  the  many  denomina- 
tions was  the  true  Church  of  Christ.  While  thus  seeking 
he  had  a  vision  of  a  great  light,  and  two  "  glorious  person- 
ages "  appeared  and  informed  him  that  his  sins  were  for- 
given, and  instructed  him  in  the  doctrine  of  the  one  true 
religion,  which  was  not,  he  was  told,  represented  by  any 
of  the  existing  churches.  Another  vision  was  granted  him 
in  1823,  when  an  "  angel  of  the  Lord  "  appeared  and  told 
him  that  the  preparatory  work  for  the  second  coming  of 
Christ  was  soon  to  begin,  and  that  he  was  to  be  chosen  to 
bring  about  some  of  the  purposes  of  the  coming  dispensa- 
tion. The  vision  was  frequently  renewed.  By  the  direc- 
tions received  in  one  of  them  he  was  enabled  to  obtain  the 
sacred  records,  which  have  since  been  known  as  the  "  Book 
of  Mormon."  These  records  were  received,  it  is  stated, 
in  1827.  They  were  "engraved  on  plates  which  had 
the  appearance  of  gold,"  and  these  plates  were  "  filled  on 
both  sides  "  with  words  in  reformed  Egyptian  characters. 

165 


1 66    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

Having  become  the  subject  of  persecution  on  account  of 
the  visions,  he  fled  to  Pennsylvania,  and  translated,  "  by 
the  gift  and  power  of  God,"  the  records  which  had  been 
miraculously  delivered  to  him.  The  Book  of  Mormon 
claims  to  give  a  history  of  ancient  America,  from  a  settle- 
ment by  a  colony  who  came  from  the  Tower  of  Babel,  at 
the  confusion  of  tongues. 

An  angel  appeared  in  1829,  it  is  stated,  to  Joseph  Smith 
and  Oliver  Cowdery  and  ordained  them  as  priests  of  the 
order  of  Aaron  and  directed  them  to  baptize  each  other. 
In  1830  a  church  was  organized  at  Fayette,  Seneca  County, 
N.  Y.  The  new  gospel  was  preached,  miracles  were  an- 
nounced as  an  attestation  of  the  new  faith,  and  mission- 
aries were  sent  out,  among  whom  Brigham  Young,  Sidney 
Rigdon,  and  the  Pratt  brothers — Parley  P.  and  Orson — were 
prominent.  Churches  were  established  in  several  States. 
In  1831  the  headquarters  of  the  denomination  were  re- 
moved west  to  Kirtland,  O.,  and  a  colony  was  formed  in 
Jackson  County,  Mo.  After  having  been  driven  out  of 
Missouri,  a  settlement  was  made  at  Nauvoo,  111.,  where  a 
large  temple  was  erected  and  where  the  headquarters  of 
the  church  were  fixed.  In  1843  Joseph  Smith  announced 
a  revelation  in  favor  of  the  celestial  order  of  marriage 
including  polygamy.  In  disturbances  which  subsequently 
arose  he  was  shot  and  killed  by  a  mob,  June  27,  1844,  at 
Carthage,  111.,  and  Brigham  Young  became  his  successor 
as  Prophet.  In  1846  and  1847  there  was  a  general  migra- 
tion from  Illinois  to  Salt  Lake,  the  present  headquarters  of 
the  church. 

There  are  two  divisions — the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Latter- Day  Saints,  and  the  Reorganized  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter- Day  Saints. 


THE  LATTER-DAY  SAINTS.  1 67 

I. — THE  CHURCH   OF  JESUS   CHRIST   OF   LATTER-DAY 

SAINTS. 

Those  who  migrated  to  Salt  Lake  devised  a  system  for 
active  propagation  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Book  of  Mormon 
and  subsequent  revelations,  and  their  numbers  increased 
steadily.  The  "celestial  law  of  marriage"  was  openly 
practiced  after  1852,  when  it  was  promulgated.  After  the 
death  of  Brigham  Young,  August,  1877,  John  Taylor  suc- 
ceeded as  president  of  the  church.  In  1 890  Wilford  Wood- 
ruff, the  successor  of  John  Taylor  as  "  seer,  revelator,  and 
first  president,"  announced  a  revelation  prohibiting  the 
contracting  of  further  polygamous  marriages. 

The  chief  points  of  the  doctrinal  belief  of  the  Latter- Day 
Saints,  as  stated  by  President  Wilford  Woodruff,  are  in 
substance:  God  exists  as  a  Trinity  of  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Ghost;  men  are  to  be  punished  for  actual  sins,  and 
not  for  the  transgression  of  Adam ;  salvation  is  for  all  men, 
through  the  atonement  of  Christ,  by  obedience  to  the  laws 
and  ordinances  of  the  gospel ;  these  ordinances  are  faith, 
repentance,  baptism  by  immersion  for  the  remission  of  sins, 
and  the  laying  on  of  hands  for  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost ; 
men  are  called  of  God  to  the  ministry  by  prophecy  and 
the  laying  on  of  hands  by  those  in  authority ;  there  is  the 
gift  of  tongues,  prophecy,  revelation,  visions,  healing,  and 
interpretation  of  tongues ;  the  Bible  is  the  Word  of  God,  so 
far  as  it  is  translated  correctly,  also  the  Book  of  Mormon ; 
God  has  revealed  much  and  has  much  yet  to  reveal ;  there 
is  to  be  a  literal  gathering  of  Israel  and  the  restoration  of  the 
ten  tribes ;  Zion  is  to  be  built  on  this  continent ;  Christ  will 
reign  personally  upon  the  earth,  which  is  to  be  renewed. 

The  organization  of  the  church  includes  features  of  both 


1 68     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 

the  Jewish  and  Christian  systems.  There  are  two  orders 
of  the  priesthood,  the  Melchizedek  or  higher,  and  the 
Aaronic  or  lesser.  The  first  embraces  apostles,  patriarchs, 
high-priests,  seventies,  and  elders,  and  has  charge  over  all 
the  spiritual  interests  of  the  church,  preaching,  baptizing, 
laying  on  of  hands  for  confirmation  and  ordination,  healing, 
blessing,  administering  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  officiating 
in  all  the  ordinances.  The  Aaronic  priesthood,  including 
bishops,  priests,  teachers,  and  deacons,  administers,  under 
the  direction  of  the  Melchizedek  priesthood,  the  outward 
ordinances  and  temporal  affairs.  In  organization  for  church 
government  the  place  of  the  ordinary  parish  is  taken  by 
the  ward.  Each  ward  has  its  meeting-house  and  bishop, 
and  two  counselors.  A  number  of  wards  constitute  a  stake 
of  Zion.  At  the  head  of  each  stake  or  district  is  a  presi- 
dent and  two  counselors,  who  are  high-priests,  and  a  coun- 
cil of  twelve  high-priests  who  sit  as  a  court  in  church 
matters.  There  is  a  general  conference  which  meets  in 
April  and  October  of  each  year  for  the  management  of 
the  general  affairs  of  the  church.  The  missionaries  and 
preachers  are  organized  into  seventies.  Each  seventy  has 
seven  presidents,  and  is  under  the  direction  of  the  Twelve 
Apostles.  The  highest  officers  are  those  of  the  First  Pres- 
idency, which  has  supreme  authority,  and  are  elected  by 
the  whole  church. 

The  chief  strength  of  the  church  is  in  Utah,  but  it  also 
has  organizations  in  twenty-two  States  and  Territories. 
There  are  in  all  425  organizations,  266  church  edifices, 
valued  at  $825,506,  and  144,352  communicants.  The 
average  seating  capacity  of  the  edifices  is  346,  and  their 
average  value  $3103  ;  178  halls,  etc.,  with  a  seating  capac- 
ity of  28,310,  are  occupied. 


THE  LATTER-DAY  SAINTS. 


169 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com. 
muni- 
cants. 

Alabama  

2 

166 

Arizona  

27 

16 

4,815 

$26,400 

6,500 

Colorado  

3 

3 

1,380 

7,200 

1,640 

Georgia  

i 

175 

Idaho  

.       62 

48 

11,682 

45,560 

14,816 

Indiana  

'4 

Kansas  

34 

Kentucky  

199 

Maryland  

58 

Mississippi  

123 

Nevada  

5 

.  . 



4*7 

New  Mexico  

5 

2 

300 

1,430 

453 

New  York  

2 

.  . 

56 

North  Carolina  .  . 

I 

108 

Pennsylvania  .... 

4 

44 

South  Carolina  .  . 

i 

.  . 

.  .  .  v.  .  . 

203 

Tennessee  

2 

134 

Utah  

••       293 

191 

72,375 

733,216 

117,640 

Virginia  

I 

137 

West  Virginia    .  . 

2 

81 

Wisconsin  

I 

.  . 



32 

Wyoming  

8 

6 

1,550 

11,700 

1,322 

Total  

..    425 

266 

92,102 

$825,506 

144,352 

SUMMARY  BY 

STAKES. 

STAKES. 

Bannock  

20 

18 

4,420 

$9,720 

4,343 

Bear  Lake  

..     25 

15 

3,660 

17,350 

4,986 

Beaver  

6 

5 

i,395 

25,100 

i,342 

Box  Elder  

.  .       14 

6 

20,750 

3.993 

Cache  

..      23 

21 

7,920 

87,000 

6,962 

Cassia  

6 

4 

622 

740 

i,377 

Davis  

10 

9 

4,700 

36,500 

4,686 

Emery  

9 

i 

125 

n,475 

1,968 

Juab  

6 

5 

i,  800 

19,661 

3,190 

Knab  

8 

i 

300 

1,400 

2,161 

Malad  

9 

9 

2,050 

7,850 

2,317 

Maricopa  

5 

4,800 

Millard  

8 

3 

1,325 

11,000 

2,815 

Morgan  

9 

3 

950 

3,200 

i,479 

Oneida  

..       15 

10 

2,940 

21,600 

4,445 

1 70     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STAKES. — Continued. 


STAKES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Panguitch  , 

8 

8 

1,750 

$11,750 

1,786 

Parowan  , 

5 

5 

1,950 

17,700 

2,251 

Saint  George  

.  .      24 

8 

1,650 

4,150 

3,086 

Saint  John's  

7 

4 

625 

1,980 

1,413 

Saint  Joseph  

9 

7 

2,540 

9,050 

2,067 

Salt  Lake    

•  •      43 

38 

222,694 

23,428 

San  Juan  

7 

5 

1,  080 

6,OOO 

829 

San  Luis  

2 

2 

I,IOO 

5,700 

i,454 

Sanpete  

..       16 

\\yz 

7,760 

56,980 

12,713 

Sevier  

19 

8/4 

2,850 

19,665 

5,226 

Snowflake..  

8 

6 

I,  800 

II,OOO 

1,478 

Summit  

..       15 

10 

5,200 

28,350 

2,611 

Tooele  

7 

6 

1,575 

13,266 

i,974 

Uinta  

6 

i 

500 

800 

1,588 

Utah  

...       27 

18 

7,050 

69,450 

19,240 

Wasatch  

6 

5 

2,900 

7,700 

3,379 

Weber  

21 

10 

4,800 

61,125 

10,351 

Northern  States. ...       10 
Southern  States ..  12 


352 
1,277 


Total 425      266       92,102      $825,506     144,352 


2. — THE   REORGANIZED   CHURCH   OF  JESUS   CHRIST 
OF   LATTER-DAY    SAINTS. 

Like  the  Mormons  of  Utah,  the  members  of  this  organ- 
ization, sometimes  called  Nonpolygamous  Mormons,  trace 
their  origin  back  to  the  movement  begun  by  Joseph  Smith 
in  1830.  They  claim  to  represent  this  movement  and  to 
be  true  to  the  principles  and  doctrines  proclaimed  by  him, 
and  insist  that  those  who  followed  Brigham  Young  were 
led  away  from  the  truth  into  error.  They  deny  that  the 
revelation  concerning  polygamy  which  was  communicated 
to  the  church  in  Salt  Lake  City  in  1852  by  Brigham 


THE  LATTER-DAY  SAINTS.  1 71 

Young  was  genuine,  and  declare  that  the  true  successor 
to  Joseph  Smith  in  the  presidency  of  the  church  was  not 
Brigham  Young,  but  Joseph  Smith's  eldest  son,  Joseph. 
It  is  said  that  none  of  the  members  of  the  family  of  the 
first  Prophet  have  united  with  the  Utah  branch,  but  all 
have  become  members  of  the  Reorganized  Church. 

The  first  conference  was  held  in  1852,  and  it  was  then 
that  the  leadership  of  Brigham  Young,  James  J.  Strang, 
Sidney  Rigdon,  and  others  was  disowned  and  the  society 
organized.  Its  headquarters  are  at  Lamoni,  la.,  where  it 
has  a  large  publishing-house. 

The  Reorganized  Church  accepts  three  books  as  of 
divine  origin :  first,  the  Bible ;  second,  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon; third,  the  Book  of  Covenants.  The  latter  consists 
of  the  revelations  given  to  the  church  in  the  present  cent- 
ury as  a  guide  in  church  government.  The  Book  of 
Mormon  is  accepted  as  a  history  of  the  ancient  inhabitants 
of  America  and  the  revelation  given  them  by  God,  begin- 
ning at  a  period  two  thousand  years  before  Christ  and  con- 
tinuing until  four  hundred  years  after  Christ.  In  doctrine 
they  adhere  to  the  Trinity,  to  the  atonement  by  Jesus 
Christ,  to  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  to  the  second  com- 
ing of  Christ,  and  to  the  eternal  judgment,  believing  that 
each  individual  will  receive  reward  or  punishment  in  strict 
measure  according  to  the  good  or  evil  deeds  done  in  life. 
They  hold  that  men  are  to  be  saved  by  faith  in  God  and 
Christ,  by  forsaking  sin,  by  immersion  for  the  remission 
of  sin,  and  by  the  laying  on  of  hands.  They  believe  that 
revelations  of  God  are  still  given  by  the  Holy  Spirit  for 
the  guidance  of  the  church,  and  that  the  gifts,  blessings, 
and  powers  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  Bible  times  are  continual. 
Their  order  of  church  government  is  such  as  they  find 


172     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

authority  for  in  the  New  Testament  and  such  as  they 
understand  that  the  Apostolic  Church  observed.  It  in- 
cludes the  presidency,  consisting,  when  full,  of  three  per- 
sons, which  has  jurisdiction  over  the  whole  church  as  its 
chief  presiding  authority;  twelve  apostles,  whose  special 
duty  is  to  take  charge  of  all  missionary  work  abroad ;  one 
or  more  quorums  of  seventy,  who  are  set  apart  from  the 
body  of  elders  and  assist  the  apostles ;  high-priests,  who 
have  charge  over  States  and  districts ;  priests  or  pastors, 
teachers  and  deacons,  and  bishops,  of  whom  three  are  set 
at  the  head  of  the  business  affairs  of  the  church.  Other 
bishops  and  agents  assist  in  collecting  the  tithes.  As  to 
marriage,  they  believe  that  it  is  ordained  of  God,  and  that 
there  should  be  but  one  companion  for  man  or  woman  in 
wedlock  until  the  contract  is  broken  by  death  or  transgres- 
sion. They  characterize  the  doctrine  of  polygamy  or  plural 
wives  as  an  abomination. 

The  Reorganized  Church  is  represented  in  thirty- six 
States  and  three  Territories,  including  that  of  Utah.  It 
returns  21,773  members,  of  whom  5303  are  in  Iowa.  The 
next  largest  number,  3189,  is  in  Missouri;  Illinois  has 
1909,  Michigan  1540,  and  California  1396.  Meetings  are 
held  in  254  halls,  etc.,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  15,370. 
The  value  of  the  church  property  is  $226,285,  which  in- 
dicates an  average  valuation  of  $1847.  The  average  seat- 
ing capacity  is  251.  The  church  is  not  fully  organized 
into  districts. 


THE  LATTER-DAY  SAINTS. 


173 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

426 
60 

i,396 

122 
8 

257 
I56 

i;92? 

366 
46 

5>3<>3 
1,072 

50 

442 

17 

457 

1,540 

224 

3,189 

122 

1,058^ 

1 08 

21 

3 

102 
678 

95 

373 
233 

88 

64 

437 
561 

34 

34 
325 
309 


Total 431      122     30,790      $226,285        21,773 


STATB& 

Drgani- 

:ations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Alabama  

12 

2 

300 

$350 

Arkansas  

I 

California  

28 

7 

1,700 

14,400 

Colorado  

5 

i 

2OO 

2,000 

Connecticut  

Florida  

Idaho  

7 

Illinois  

52 

15 

3,500 

19,200 

Indiana  

13 

2 

OXX> 

1,  800 

Indian  Territory  .  .  . 

2 

Iowa  

59 

27 

6,785 

44,985 

Kansas  

25 

4 

800 

3,300 

Kentucky  

i 

i 

200 

1,500 

Maine  

H 

2 

475 

1,  800 

Maryland  

Massachusetts  

8 

5 

2,050 

11,500 

Michigan  

33 

6 

i,75o 

4,325 

Minnesota  

4 

Mississippi  

2 

i 

IOO 

150 

Missouri  

42 

18 

5,000 

58,650 

Montana  

2 

2 

400 

1,500 

Nebraska  

20 

7 

1,060 

7,500 

Nevada  

4. 

New  Jersey  

I 

New  Mexico  

New  York  

2 

Ohio  

18 

6 

3,050 

43,000 

Oregon  

7 

Pennsylvania  

10 

i 

300 

1,000 

Rhode  Island  

3 

i 

150 

800 

South  Dakota  

4 

Tennessee  

3 

3 

275 

325 

Texas  

12 

6 

1,025 

1,900 

Utah  

H 

i 

150 

3,700 

Virginia 

I 

\Vashington  

I 

West  Virginia  

10 

i 

300 

1,400 

Wisconsin  

6 

3 

320 

I,2OO 

Wyoming  

174    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

The  two  branches  of  Latter-Day  Saints  aggregate  856 
organizations,  388  church  edifices,  with  a  seating  capacity 
of  122,892,  and  a  value  of  $1,051,791,  and  166,125  com- 
municants. Of  the  latter  118,201  are  in  Utah,  and  th*- 
next  largest  number,  14,972,  in  Idaho. 


CHAPTER   XXVII. 
THE   EVANGELICAL   LUTHERANS. 

THE  earliest  Lutherans  in  America  came  from  Holland 
to  Manhattan  Island  in  1623  with  the  first  Dutch  colony. 
For  some  years  they  had  great  difficulty  in  establishing 
worship  of  their  own,  the  Dutch  authorities,  ecclesiastical 
and  civil,  having  received  instructions  "  to  encourage  no 
other  doctrine  in  the  New  Netherlands  than  the  true 
Reformed  "  and  "  to  allure  the  Lutherans  to  the  Dutch 
churches  and  matriculate  them  in  the  Public  Reformed 
religion."  A  Lutheran  pastor,  the  Rev.  John  Ernest  Goet- 
water,  was  sent  to  this  country  in  1657  by  the  Lutheran 
Consistory  of  Amsterdam  to  minister  to  two  Lutheran 
congregations,  one  at  New  York,  the  other  at  Albany. 
He  was  not  allowed,  however,  to  enter  upon  his  ministra- 
tions, but  was  sent  back  to  Holland  by  representatives  of 
the  Reformed  faith.  When  the  English  took  possession 
of  New  York  the  Lutherans  were  allowed  full  liberty  of 
worship. 

The  Lutheran  faith  was  also  established  on  the  banks  of 
the  Delaware  by  a  Swedish  colony,  who  erected  the  first 
Lutheran  church  in  America  near  Lewes  in  1638.  Swed- 
ish immigration  was  soon  checked,  and  the  large  Lutheran 
influx  from  Germany  did  not  begin  until  early  in  the  eight- 
eenth century,  the  first  German  congregation  of  Lutherans 
having  been  organized  at  about  that  time  in  Montgomery 


1 76    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

County,  Pa.,  with  the  Rev.  Justus  Falckner,  who  was 
ordained  in  this  country  by  the  Swedes,  as  its  first  pastor. 
In  1710  a  large  number  of  exiled  Palatines  settled  in  New 
York  and  Pennsylvania,  and  in  1734  a  colony  of  Salzburg- 
ers  planted  the  Lutheran  faith  in  Georgia. 

While  immigration  brought  many  Lutherans  to  this 
country,  they  were  in  a  scattered  and  unorganized  con- 
dition until  the  arrival  of  the  Rev.  Henry  M.  Muhlenburg, 
who  drew  them  closer  together,  formed  them  into  congre- 
gations, and  inspired  them  with  new  life.  In  1748  he, 
with  six  other  ministers  and  lay  delegates  from  congrega- 
tions, organized  the  first  Lutheran  synod  in  this  country, 
the  Synod  or  Ministerium  of  Pennsylvania.  In  1786  the 
second  synod,  the  Ministerium  of  New  York,  was  formed. 

The  recent  extraordinary  growth  of  the  Lutheran  com- 
munion in  this  country  is  due  in  part  to  immigration  from 
Lutheran  countries.  A  large  proportion  of  Lutherans  are 
either  German  immigrants  or  the  offspring  of  German  im- 
migrants. There  are  also  large  bodies  of  Swedish,  Norwe- 
gian, and  Danish  Lutherans,  with  a  number  from  Finland 
and  other  European  countries. 

The  system  of  faith  held  by  all  Lutherans  is  set  forth  in 
the  Augsburg  Confession  and  in  a  number  of  other  sym- 
bols, known  as  Luther's  Catechisms,  the  Apology  of  the 
Augsburg  Confession,  the  Smalcald  Articles,  and  the 
Formula  of  Concord.  The  cardinal  doctrine  of  the  system 
is  that  of  justification  by  faith  alone.  The  ordinances  of 
baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper  are  held  by 'Lutherans  to 
be  not  mere  signs  or  memorials,  but  channels  of  grace. 
Their  view  of  the  Lord's  Supper  is  peculiar.  They  be- 
lieve that  "  in  the  Holy  Supper  there  are  present  with  the 
elements  and  are  received  sacramentally  and  supernatu- 


THE  EVANGELICAL  LUTHERANS.  177 

rally  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  but  re- 
ject both  transubstantiation  as  held  by  the  Roman  Catho- 
lic Church,  and  consubstantiation  as  attributed  by  some 
writers  to  the  Lutheran  Church.  They  observe  the  vari- 
ous festivals  of  the  Christian  year,  and  have  a  liturgical 
form  of  worship. 

In  polity,  while  the  sovereignty  of  the  individual  con- 
gregation, which  includes  the  office  of  preaching  the  gos- 
pel and  administering  the  sacraments,  is  recognized,  in  the 
sy nodical  system  as  it  prevails  a  measure  of  judicial  and 
executive  authority  is  conferred  upon  the  individual  synods 
by  the  individual  congregations.  General  bodies,  such  as 
the  General  Synod,  General  Council,  etc.,  are  formed  by 
the  union  of  a  number  of  synods  and  have  chiefly  advisory 
powers.  Synods  may  withdraw  from  the  General  Synod, 
General  Council,  and  other  general  bodies,  and  may  after- 
ward rejoin  the  body  they  withdrew  from  or  join  another 
body,  or  take  an  independent  position. 

Arranging  the  various  synods  as  nearly  as  possible  ac- 
cording to  speech,  we  find  that  seven  languages  are  repre- 
sented, if  the  Norwegian  be  considered  as  different  from 
the  Danish.  The  United  Synod  of  the  South  is  wholly, 
and  the  General  Synod  mostly,  English.  The  General 
Council,  the  Synodical  Conference,  and  the  independent 
synods  have  but  a  small  percentage  of  English  organiza- 
tions. The  following  is  a  summary,  omitting  the  independ- 
ent congregations,  which  cannot  well  be  classified : 


1 78    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  LANGUAGES. 


LANGUAGES. 


English 

German 

German-English 

Swedish 

Norwegian 

Danish 

Icelandic 

Finnish  . . 


Total. 


Number  of 
organizations. 

1,816 
2,691 
1,178 

688 
1,786 

181 

13 
ii 


8,364 


Communicants. 

198,997 

460,706 

232,512 

88,700 

100,154 

13,674 
1,991 

1,385 


I. — THE 'GENERAL   SYNOD. 

This  is  the  oldest  general  body  of  Lutherans.  It  was 
organized  in  1820  by  representatives  of  the  Ministerium 
of  Pennsylvania,  the  oldest  synod ;  the  Ministerium  of  New 
York,  the  next  oldest ;  the  Synod  of  North  Carolina,  the 
third  oldest ;  and  the  Synod  of  Maryland  and  Virginia.  The 
General  Synod  was  the  only  general  body  until  the  Civil 
War  cut  off  its  Southern  synods  and  led  to  the  organization 
of  the  General  Synod,  South,  now  known  as  the  United 
Synod  in  the  South.  It  never  had,  however,  the  adher- 
ence of  all  the  synods.  One  withdrew  and  afterward 
joined  again ;  some  held  aloof  from  it  for  many  years,  so 
that  from  the  first  there  has  scarcely  been  a  period  in 
which  there  have  not  been  synods  in  an  independent 
attitude. 

The  chief  cause  of  the  changes  which  synods  have  made 
in  their  attachments  to  the  general  bodies,  and  also  of  the 
organization  of  the  General  Council  and  Synodical  Confer- 
ence, has  been  differences  concerning  the  acceptance  and 
interpretation  of  the  doctrinal  symbols.  There  have  been 


THE  EVANGELICAL  LUTHERANS.  179 

no  secessions  or  divisions  among  Lutherans  on  account  of 
questions  arising  in  church  government,  except  several 
instances  among  the  Germans,  when  charges  of  hierarch- 
ical tendencies  were  broached.  The  reception  in  1864  of 
the  Franckean  Synod  by  the  General  Synod  led  to  a 
division  on  confessional  grounds.  It  was  objected  by  many 
that  the  Franckean  Synod  had  not  announced  its  accept- 
ance of  the  Augsburg  Confession  and  it  was  thought  to  be 
doctrinally  unsound.  It  was  contended  in  behalf  of  those 
who  adhered  to  the  General  Synod  that  the  Franckean 
Synod  had  accepted  the  Augsburg  Confession  in  accepting 
the  constitution  of  the  General  Synod,  in  which  is  set  forth 
the  confessional  basis.  The  minority,  including  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  Ministerium  of  Pennsylvania,  presented  a 
protest  against  the  admission  of  the  Franckean  Synod,  and 
the  representatives  of  the  Ministerium  withdrew.  Two 
years  later,  however,  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  General 
Synod,  delegates  from  the  Ministerium  were  in  attendance, 
but,  not  being  allowed  to  participate  in  the  election  of 
officers,  on  the  ground  that  the  Ministerium  must  be  con- 
sidered as  "  in  a  state  of  practical  withdrawal  from  the 
governing  functions  of  the  General  Synod,"  they  retired, 
and  their  example  was  subsequently  followed  by  the  Pitts- 
burg,  English  Ohio,  Minnesota,  and  Texas  synods,  and  the 
Ministerium  soon  after  led  in  a  movement  for  the  formation 
of  another  general  body. 

The  following  is  the  confessional  basis  of  the  General 
Synod : 

"  We  receive  and  hold  with  the  Evangelical  Lutheran 
Church  of  our  fathers  the  Word  of  God,  as  contained  in 
the  canonical  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments, 
as  the  only  infallible  rule  of  faith  and  practise,  and  the 


180    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

Augsburg  Confession  as  a  correct  exhibition  of  the  funda- 
mental doctrines  of  the  divine  Word  and  of  the  faith  of  our 
church  founded  upon  that  Word." 

The  General  Synod  Lutherans  affiliate  more  readily  with 
other  evangelical  denominations  than  the  Lutherans  at- 
tached to  the  General  Council,  the  Synodical  Conference, 
or  the  Ohio  Synod.  They  do  not  refuse  to  exchange  pul- 
pits with  ministers  of  evangelical  churches,  as  do  their 
stricter  brethren,  who  condemn  these  relations  under  the 
general  term  "  unionism." 

The  General  Synod  has  connected  with  it  23  synods,  the 
oldest  of  which,  that  of  Maryland,  was  organized  in  1820, 
and  the  newest,  that  of  Middle  Tennessee,  in  1878.  It  is 
represented  in  twenty-five  States  and  in  the  District  of 
Columbia  and  Territory  of  New  Mexico.  Nearly  one  half 
of  its  communicants,  or  78,938,  are  to  be  found  in  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania.  Of  its  1424  organizations,  Penn- 
sylvania has  596.  There  are  1322  edifices,  valued  at 
$8,919,170.  This  indicates  an  average  value  for  each 
edifice  of  $6745,  which  is  extraordinary.  The  average 
seating  capacity  of  the  edifices  is  357.  Only  72  of  the 
1424  organizations  meet  in  other  than  church  buildings. 
The  72  halls  have  a  seating  capacity  of  10,730. 

The  boundaries  of  Lutheran  synods  are  very  irregular. 
Those  of  the  synods  belonging  to  the  General  Synod  are 
more  regular  than  those  of  any  of  the  other  Lutheran  gen- 
eral bodies,  but  only  5  of  the  23  do  not  cross  one  or  more 
State  lines. 


THE  EVANGELICAL  LUTHERANS. 


181 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Alabama  

I 

I 

300 

$2,000 

!75 

California  

6 

3 

1,700 

87,000 

743 

Colorado  

7 

5 

1,025 

64,500 

220 

Connecticut  

2 

i 

400 

7,000 

190 

District  of  Columbia 

6 

6 

3,000 

301,000 

1,038 

Illinois  

93 

83* 

24,803 

344,050 

7,438 

Indiana  

86 

88 

23,600 

243,300 

6,OOX) 

Iowa  

30 

28 

8,585 

127,200 

2,043 

Kansas  

53 

43 

10,245 

171,000 

2,835 

Kentucky  

ii 

ii 

3,700 

43,700 

1,627 

Maryland  

96 

97 

43,430 

843,050 

17,288 

Massachusetts  

2 

2 

275 

2,700 

103 

Michigan  

9 

9 

2,450 

37,500 

679 

Minnesota  

i 

i 

300 

1,200 

26 

Missouri  

H 

13 

4,125 

132,850 

1,576 

Nebraska  

73 

55 

12,185 

330,420 

3,731 

New  Jersey  

1  6 

16 

5,175 

I26,IOO 

2,415 

New  Mexico  

2 

64 

New  York  

95 

ioo# 

36,925 

1,224,700 

I5,6ll 

Ohio  

189 

182 

59,3  10 

1,039,950 

18,437 

Pennsylvania  

596 

545  ¥ 

219,516 

3,672,650 

78,938 

South  Dakota  

3 

3 

370 

7,700 

64 

Tennessee  

ii 

ii 

4,600 

8,000 

749 

Virginia  

3 

3 

1,050 

7,OOO 

450 

West  Virginia  

5 

i,  800 

69,000 

1,108 

Wisconsin  

ii 

8^ 

2,600 

I7,600 

861 

Wyoming  

3 

2 

350 

6,100 

141 

Total 1,424   1,322      471,819  $8,919,170   164,640 


SUMMARY  BY  SYNODS. 


Allegheny 138 

Central  Illinois  .... 
Central    Pennsylva- 
nia     

East  Ohio 

East  Pennsylvania. . 

Franckean 29 

Hartwick 34 

Iowa 

Kansas  . 


138 

131 

42,456 

$539,925 

12,806 

25 

7,415 

147,100 

2,187 

83 

^^y^ 

29,280 

372,ioo 

8,680 

75 

72 

24,425 

412,800 

6,360 

109 

102^ 

47,56o 

1,141,650 

17,994 

29 

28 

8,225 

100,200 

2,147 

34 

35 

13,404 

286,4OO 

4,578 

25 

24 

7,160 

153,700 

1,727 

47 

10,275 

242,650 

2,924 

1 82     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  SYNODS. — Continued. 


SYNODS. 

Maryland  

Organi- 
zations. 

1  08 

Church 
Edifices. 

IOQ 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

4.8.QOI; 

Value  ot 
Church 
Property. 

$i  108  oso 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

IQ  864. 

Miami  

4.C 

lvy 

42 

I3.3IO 

295  ooo 

4..  6O4. 

Middle  Tennessee  .  . 
Nebraska 

II 

I  O2 

II 

77 

4,600 
16.171; 

8,900 

4.  1  !>.87O 

749 
5.064. 

New  York  and  New 
Terse  v 

CO 

14. 

20,006 

QCC.QOO 

11.234. 

North  Illinois 

«6 

4.1 

I2.QOO 

IO6.OCO 

3,14.7 

North  Indiana  
Olive  Branch 

67 

•57 

71 
se 

I9»475 
9.671; 

184,100 
I3C.IOO 

4,650 
•a.eyy 

Pittsburg 

81 

7? 

24.,8i;o 

3-3Q,  12? 

7,74.0 

South  Illinois 

IQ 

15* 

4..4CQ 

2O,25O 

1.274. 

Susquehanna 

CQ 

eg 

26,  54.O 

4.87.  8<;o 

*>^J^ 

IO.O4.  ^ 

Wartburg      .  .  . 

20 

24 

7,313 

00.800 

3,320 

West  Pennsylvania  . 
Wittenberg  

Ui 

74 

106 
71 

50,855 

22,475 

868,000 
338.650 

2i,575 
7,836 

Total 1,424   1,322     471,819  $8,919,170   164,640 


2. — THE   UNITED   SYNOD   IN   THE   SOUTH. 

Soon  after  the  beginning  of  the  Civil  War  the  four  synods 
of  North  and  South  Carolina  and  of  Virginia  and  south- 
west Virginia  withdrew  from  the  General  Synod  because 
of  the  adoption  by  that  body,  at  its  convention  in  1 862,  of 
resolutions  concerning  the  war  which  gave  offense  to  the 
South.  These  synods  and  the  Synod  of  Texas  were  not 
represented  in  the  convention  of  1862  on  account  of  the 
outbreak  of  hostilities  and  the  condition  of  the  country. 
The  next  year  (1863)  the  four  synods  above  mentioned 
and  the  Synod  of  Georgia  constituted  the  General  Synod, 
South.  A  few  other  Southern  synods  afterward  became 
connected  with  it.  In  1 886  a  new  organization,  known  as 
the  United  Synod  in  the  South,  took  its  place,  consisting 


THE  EVANGELICAL  LUTHERANS.  183 

of  six  synods  which  had  belonged  to  the  General  Synod, 
South,  and  the  independent  Tennessee  and  Holston  synods. 

The  type  of  Lutheranism  represented  by  the  United 
Synod  in  the  South  is  similar  to  that  of  the  General  Synod, 
though  perhaps  a  little  stricter.  Its  confessional  basis  is 
as  follows : 

"  The  Holy  Scriptures,  the  inspired  writings  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments,  the  only  standard  of  doctrine  and 
church  discipline. 

"  As  a  true  and  faithful  exhibition  of  the  doctrines  of 
the  Holy  Scriptures  in  regard  to  matters  of  faith  and  prac- 
tice, the  three  ancient  symbols,  the  Apostolic,  the  Nicene, 
and  the  Athanasian  Creeds,  and  the  Unaltered  Augsburg 
Confession  of  Faith;  also,  the  other  symbolical  books  of 
the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church,  viz.,  the  Apology,  the 
Smalcald  Articles,  the  Smaller  and  Larger  Catechisms  of 
Luther,  and  the  Formula  of  Concord,  consisting  of  the 
Epitome  and  full  Declaration  as  they  are  set  forth,  defined, 
and  published  in  the  Christian  Book  of  Concord,  or  the 
Symbolical  Books  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  published  in 
the  year  1580,  as  true  and  Scriptural  developments  of  the 
doctrines  taught  in  the  Augsburg  Confession  and  in  perfect 
harmony  of  [sic]  one  and  the  same  pure  Scriptural  faith." 

The  United  Synod  in  the  South  is  represented  in  nine 
of  the  Southern  States,  including  Tennessee  and  West  Vir- 
ginia. It  has  414  organizations  and  379  church  edifices, 
of  an  average  value  of  $2938,  and  an  average  seating  capac- 
ity of  365  ;  29  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  4225,  are 
occupied. 


184    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Alabama 

Florida 

Georgia 16 

Mississippi 

North  Carolina 

South  Carolina  .... 

Tennessee 

Virginia 145 

West  Virginia 

Total 414      379     138,453    $1,114,065     37,45? 


Organ  i-    Church 
zations.   Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 

muni- 
cants. 

3          i 

250 

$I,2OO 

75 

2             2 

460 

5,450 

H3 

16        15 

4,825 

99,150 

i,477 

II           10 

2,750 

4,650 

533 

119         107 

44,463 

263,690 

n,759 

74        78 

27,525 

339,250 

8,757 

23           20 

7,410 

52,750 

i,999 

145     124 

45,090 

314,200 

11,196 

21            22 

5,680 

33,725 

1,518 

SUMMARY  BY  SYNODS. 


Alpha      Synod      of 

Freedmen 5 

Georgia 17 

Holston 27 

Mississippi 1 1 

North  Carolina 56 

South  Carolina 61 

Southwest  Virginia .  65 

Tennessee 107 

Virginia 65 


Total 4H      379     '38,453   $1,114,065     37>457 


3 

550 

$1,750 

94 

16 

4,885 

92,600 

i,535 

22 

7,835 

53,650 

2,129 

IO 

2,750 

4,650 

533 

53 

21,050 

188,800 

6,163 

66 

21,975 

337,150 

7,013 

48 

17,502 

114,050 

4,379 

9/ 

41,976 

143,790 

10,086 

64 

19,930 

177,625 

5,525 

3. — THE   GENERAL   COUNCIL. 

This  was  the  third  general  body  to  be  organized  in  the 
order  of  time.  When  the  General  Synod  consented  in 
1 864  to  the  admission  of  the  Franckean  Synod,  which  was 
regarded  by  the  minority  of  the  General  Synod  as  un- 
Lutheran  and  as  not  having  definitely  accepted  the  Augs- 
burg Confession,  the  delegates  of  the  Ministerium  of  Penn- 
sylvania protested  (a  number  of  others  joining  in  the 
protest)  and  withdrew.  At  the  next  session  of  the  Gen- 


THE  EVANGELICAL  LUTHERANS.  185 

eral  Synod,  being  excluded  from  participation  in  its  organ- 
ization, they  retired  from  the  body.  The  Pittsburg,  the 
New  York,  the  English  Ohio,  the  Minnesota,  and  the 
Texas  synods  also  dissolved  their  connection  with  the 
General  Synod.  The  withdrawal  of  the  delegates  of  the 
Ministerium  of  Pennsylvania  was  approved  by  that  body 
at  its  next  session,  and  a  committee  was  appointed  to  issue 
a  "  fraternal  address  to  all  Evangelical  Lutheran  synods, 
ministers,  and  congregations  in  the  United  States  and 
Canada  which  confess  the  Unaltered  Augsburg  Confession, 
inviting  them  to  unite  in  a  convention  for  the  purpose 
of  forming  a  union  of  Lutheran  synods."  The  proposed 
convention  was  held  in  December,  1866,  representatives 
of  the  synods  of  Pennsylvania,  New  York,  English  Ohio, 
Pittsburg,  Wisconsin,  English  district  of  Ohio,  Michigan, 
Minnesota,  Canada,  Illinois,  and  the  Joint  Synod  of  Ohio 
participating.  "  Principles  of  Faith  and  Church  Polity  " 
were  adopted,  and  the  next  year  the  first  convention  of 
the  new  body  was  held.  Thus  was  the  General  Council 
organized. 

In  the  first  year  of  its  history  the  Joint  Synod  of  Ohio 
withdrew  and  the  German  Synod  of  Iowa  assumed  a  semi- 
independent  position,  sending  delegates  and  participating 
in  the  debate  but  taking  no  part  in  the  voting.  This  body 
still  sustains  this  relation.  The  withdrawal  of  the  Joint 
Synod  of  Ohio,  and,  a  few  years  later,  of  the  synods  of 
Wisconsin,  Illinois,  and  Minnesota,  and  the  semi-independ- 
ent position  taken  by  the  German  Synod  of  Iowa,  were  on 
account  of  the  refusal  of  the  General  Council  to  give  a  sat- 
isfactory declaration  on  what  are  called  the  "Four  Points." 
It  was  the  desire  of  these  bodies  that  some  expression 
should  be  given  concerning  chiliasm,  and  that  the  admis- 


1 86     RELIGIOUS  FORCES   OF   THE    UNITED   STATES. 

sion  of  non-Lutherans  to  communion,  the  exchange  of 
"  pulpits  with  sectarians,"  and  membership  in  secret  soci- 
eties should  be  unequivocally  condemned.  The  council 
would  not  commit  itself  fully  at  that  time  on  these  points, 
though  it  has  since  practically  done  so,  especially  on  the 
questions  of  pulpit  and  altar  fellowship. 

The  confessional  basis  of  the  General  Council  is  as  fol- 
lows: 

"We  accept  and  acknowledge  the  doctrine  of  the 
Unaltered  Augsburg  Confession  in  its  original  sense  as 
throughout  in  conformity  with  the  pure  truth,  of  which 
God's  Word  is  the  only  rule.  We  accept  its  statements 
of  truth  as  in  perfect  accordance  with  the  canonical  Script- 
ures. We  reject  the  errors  it  condemns,  and  believe  that 
all  which  it  commits  to  the  liberty  of  the  church  of  right 
belongs  to  that  liberty. 

"  In  thus  formally  accepting  and  acknowledging  the 
Unaltered  Augsburg  Confession  we  declare  our  conviction 
that  the  other  confessions  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran 
Church,  inasmuch  as  they  set  forth  none  other  than  its 
system  of  doctrine  and  articles  of  faith,  are  of  necessity 
pure  and  Scriptural.  Preeminent  among  such  accordant, 
pure,  and  Scriptural  statements  of  doctrine,  by  their  in- 
trinsic excellence,  by  the  great  and  necessary  ends  for 
which  they  were  prepared,  by  their  historical  position,  and 
by  the  general  judgment  of  the  church,  are  these :  The 
Apology  of  the  Augsburg  Confession,  the  Smalcald  Arti- 
cles, the  Catechisms  of  Luther,  and  the  Formula  of  Con- 
cord, all  of  which  are,  with  the  Unaltered  Augsburg  Con- 
fession, in  perfect  harmony  of  one  and  the  same  Scriptural 
faith." 

One  of  the  most  perplexing  questions  Lutherans  have 


THE  EVANGE'LICAL   LUTHERANS.  187 

had  to  deal  with  in  this  country  has  been  that  of  language. 
It  is  agreed  that  the  communion  sustained  very  heavy 
losses  down  almost  to  the  middle  of  this  century  by  insist- 
ing that  synodical  proceedings  and  church  services  gener- 
ally should  be  in  the  German  tongue.  The  children,  hav- 
ing learned  English,  desired  to  have  the  services  conducted 
in  that  language ;  failing  in  this,  they  joined  other  denom- 
inations. The  General  Council  proposed  from  the  begin- 
ning that  the  different  languages  and  nationalities  "  should 
be  firmly  knit  together  in  this  New  World  in  the  unity  of 
one  and  the  same  pure  faith,"  and  declared  that  "  no  dis- 
tinction of  language  "  must  be  allowed  "  to  interfere  with 
the  great  work "  before  the  church  in  this  country.  It 
includes  American,  German,  and  Scandinavian  elements, 
but  English  is  the  official  language  of  the  General  Council, 
though  the  German  and  Scandinavian  tongues  are  also 
used.  It  has  many  large  English  churches  in  the  eastern 
cities,  but  a  majority  of  the  congregations  are  German 
and  Scandinavian  and  employ  those  languages.  But  few 
of  the  ministers  are  incapable  of  speaking  and  writing 
in  English.  All  the  correspondence  of  the  Census  Office 
with  Lutherans  of  whatever  synodical  connection  was  in 
English,  and  scarcely  a  score  out  of  the  thousands  of  let- 
ters received  were  in  any  other  tongue. 

There  are  nine  synods  connected  with  the  General 
Council,  including  one  in  Canada,  which,  of  course,  is  not 
given  in  these  tables.  While  the  General  Council,  the 
General  Synod,  and,  indeed,  most  other  denominations  of 
this  country,  have  churches  and  communicants  in  other 
countries,  these  churches  and  communicants  are  omitted  in 
the  census  reports.  Only  those  congregations  are  included 
which  are  within  the  territorial  limits  of  the  United  States. 


1 88     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

The  General  Council  has  2044  organizations,  with  1554 
edifices  and  324,846  communicants.  Of  the  latter,  107,- 
025  are  attached  to  the  Ministerium  of  Pennsylvania,  the 
oldest  Lutheran  synod  in  the  United  States.  Some  367 
organizations  hold  worship  in  halls,  etc.,  having  a  seating 
capacity  of  30,904.  The  total  value  of  church  property  is 
$11,119,286,  or  an  average  for  each  edifice  of  $7155, 
which  is  even  higher  than  the  extraordinary  average  of 
houses  of  worship  owned  by  the  General  Synod.  The 
average  seating  capacity  of  the  edifices  is  378. 

While  there  are  only  eight  synods,  there  are  congrega- 
tions in  thirty-two  States  and  one  Territory,  Pennsylvania, 
of  course,  maintaining  the  lead,  with  616,  or  nearly  one 
third  of  the  whole  number,  and  124,163  communicants. 
The  next  largest  number  of  communicants,  39,430,  is  found 
in  New  York,  Minnesota  coming  third,  with  27,906,  and 
Illinois  fourth,  with  26,860.  The  Synod  of  Texas  is  the 
only  synod  that  does  not  cross  State  lines.  The  Swedish 
Augustana  Synod,  though  second  in  numbers  to  the  Minis- 
terium of  Pennsylvania,  embraces  in  its  territory  no  fewer 
than  thirty  States,  being,  in  fact,  almost  as  widespread 
as  the  entire  General  Council.  Delaware  and  Kentucky 
are  the  only  two  States  covered  by  the  General  Council 
which  are  not  also  covered  by  the  Augustana  Synod. 
This  body  of  wide  boundaries  was  organized  in  1860 
with  only  about  5000  communicants,  and  is  composed  of 
Swedish  Lutherans.  The  synod  is  subdivided  into  seven 
conferences,  or  sub-synods,  which  meet  semi-annually. 
The  synod  itself  is  assembled  yearly.  The  German  Iowa 
Synod  has  five  districts,  and  covers  several  States. 


THE  EVANGELICAL  LUTHERANS. 


189 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

California  

7 

5 

1,175 

$62,300 

603 

Colorado  

7 

6 

Ij436 

65,800 

519 

Connecticut  

..       24 

15 

5,820 

122.400 

3,767 

Delaware  

2 

i 

335 

10,000 

296 

Dist.  of  Columbia 

I 

2 

1,400 

40,000 

600 

Florida  

I 

17 

Idaho  

3 

2 

1  80 

2,450 

J39 

Illinois  

••     H3 

122 

42,335 

809,150 

26,860 

Indiana  

..    38 

34 

io,335 

148,100 

3,887 

Iowa  

..    174 

132 

34,77i 

420,680 

20,009 

Kansas  

..     62 

43 

11,294 

136,830 

6,269 

Kentucky  

4 

3 

570 

6,800 

299 

Maine  

i 

i 

300 

2,600 

179 

Massachusetts  .  .  . 

12 

6 

2,110 

55,900 

i,743 

Michigan  

..          70 

58 

14,305 

153,350 

8,710 

Minnesota  

.  .       223 

175 

52,445 

624,120 

27,906 

Missouri  

18 

16 

3,584 

101,800 

i,857 

Nebraska  

..       88 

55 

12,181 

206,001 

7,204 

New  Hampshire  . 

2 

2 

750 

13,500 

395 

New  Jersey  

..         30 

20 

8,785 

339,500 

7,940 

New  York  

..       113 

109 

43,764 

1,915,510 

39,430 

North  Dakota  

..         38 

7 

I,2IO 

15,400 

1,582 

Ohio  

..     118 

108 

35,510 

483,100 

15,915 

Oregon  

4 

3 

675 

13,650 

305 

Pennsylvania  .... 

..     616 

486 

268,885 

4,993,355 

124,163 

Rhode  Island  

3 

i 

300 

5,250 

420 

South  Dakota  .  .  . 

.  .        100 

3i 

5,070 

40,125 

4,77o 

Texas  

..       42 

39 

9,810 

128,740 

7,140 

Vermont  

2 

174 

Washington  

7 

5 

1,400 

33,950 

446 

West  Virginia  .  .  . 

I 

i 

800 

10,000 

650 

Wisconsin  

..    85 

66 

17,290 

158,925 

10,072 

Wyoming  

5 

580 

Total 2,044   1,554     588,825  $11,119,286  324,846 


SUMMARY  BY  SYNODS. 


English     Synod    of 

Ohio 64 

Indiana 31 

Ministerium  of  New 
York : 115 


58 
27 


20,375 
9,010 


$273,600 
169,000 


8,27: 
3,05* 


117       47,319      i,942,4io     42,029 


IQO     RELIGIOUS  FORCES   OF   THE    UNITED   STATES. 
SUMMARY  BY  STATES. — Continued. 


Organi-  Church  a«»unK  vaiue  01  Com- 

«&.ofifa~  ^  £5*.  'SSL 

Ministerium  of  Penn- 
sylvania   456  347  227,555  $4,319,355  107,025 

Pittsburg  167  149  47,825  961,800  20,755 

Scandinavian  Au- 

gustana 688  515  156,664  2,600,550  88,700 

Texas 39  35  8,485  1 12,740  6,643 

German     Synod    of 

Iowa 484  306  71,592  739,831  47,363 

Total   2,044  i,554  588,825  $11,119,286  324,846 


4. — THE    SYNODICAL   CONFERENCE. 

The  latest  and  largest  of  the  Lutheran  general  bodies 
is  the  Synodical  Conference,  organized  in  1872  by  repre- 
sentatives of  the  Missouri,  Ohio,  Wisconsin,  Minnesota, 
Illinois,  and  Norwegian  synods.  Four  of  these  synods,  the 
Ohio,  Wisconsin,  Minnesota,  and  Illinois,  had  taken  part 
in  the  organization  of  the  General  Council,  but  had  with- 
drawn. The  conference  was  intended  to  represent  a  type 
of  Lutheran  confessionalism  stricter  than  that  of  the  Gen- 
eral Council,  as  that  of  the  General  Council  was  stricter 
than  the  General  Synod.  The  following  is  its  confessional 
basis : 

"  The  Synodical  Conference  acknowledges  the  canonical 
Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  as  God's  Word, 
and  the  Confession  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  of 
1580,  called  the  Concordia,  as  its  own." 

The  central  body  of  the  Synodical  Conference,  and  the 
influence  which  constitutes  the  peculiar  type  of  Lutheran- 
ism  which  it  stands  for,  is  the  synod  of  Missouri,  Ohio,  and 
other  States,  which  was  organized  in  1847.  The  nucleus 


THE  EVANGELICAL   LUTHERANS.  191 

of  this  synod  was  a  Saxon  colony  of  Lutherans  who  settled 
in  Missouri  in  1839.  When  the  synod  was  constituted  it 
embraced  12  congregations  and  22  ministers,  but,  proclaim- 
ing a  Lutheranism  of  the  most  positive  character,  it  at- 
tracted to  itself  hosts  of  German  immigrants  who  were  dis- 
satisfied with  the  result  of  the  union  of  the  Lutheran  and 
Reformed  religions  in  the  Fatherland,  and  were  pleased 
with  the  absolute  and  unreserved  acceptance  of  the  Augs- 
burg Confession  required  by  the  synod  and  with  its  stern 
antagonism  to  every  form  of  syncretism  (union  services, 
union  communions,  union  congregations),  and  its  insistence 
on  pure  Lutheran  literature,  pure  Lutheran  services,  and 
a  pure  and  positive  Lutheranism.  Some  questions  which 
most  other  Lutheran  bodies  might  consider  open  questions 
are  not  so  held  by  the  "  Missourians,"  as  they  are  called. 
For  example,  they  maintain  that  Antichrist  is  the  Roman 
pontiff;  that  their  doctrine  as  to  the  ministry  and  the 
church  is  the  true  and  settled  Scriptural  doctrine,  and  that 
all  forms  of  chiliasm  or  millenarianism  are  to  be  condemned. 
They  allow  no  differences  on  these  and  some  other  extra- 
confessional  points;  therefore  their  type  of  doctrine  and 
practice  has  become  known,  both  in  this  country  and  Ger- 
many, where  it  has  obtained  some  favor,  as  "  Missourian." 
In  1 88 1  the  Joint  Synod  of  Ohio  withdrew  from  the 
Synodical  Conference  as  the  result  of  a  controversy  which 
arose  on  the  doctrine  of  predestination,  and  was  followed 
in  1882  by  the  Norwegian  Synod.  The  synod  of  Missouri 
maintained  that  predestination  to  salvation  is  not  due  to 
God's  foresight  of  faith  in  man,  but  faith  and  perseverance 
in  faith  are  included  in  the  decree.  The  adherents  of  the 
Ohio  party  opposed  this  as  Calvinistic,  and  a  division  was 
the  result. 


192     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 

The  Missouri  is  by  far  the  largest  Lutheran  synod  in  the 
United  States,  and  embraces  in  its  territory  thirty- one 
States  and  the  District  of  Columbia.  It  is  divided  into  1 3 
districts,  or  sub-synods,  and  reports  1589  organizations, 
with  1261  church  edifices,  valued  at  $6,759,535,  and  293,- 
211  communicants. 

The  Synodical  Conference  has  1934  organizations,  1531 
church  edifices,  and  357,153  communicants.  The  average 
seating  capacity  of  its  edifices  is  289,  and  their  average 
value  $5098.  Only  67  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of 
4362,  are  occupied.  The  constituency  of  the  Synodical 
Conference  is  almost  wholly  German.  Services  in  Eng- 
lish are,  however,  being  extensively  introduced,  and  ex- 
clusively English  congregations  have  been  founded. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 

Church 

Seating 
Ca- 

Value  of 
Church 

Com- 
muni- 

zations. 

Edifices. 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

Alabama  

5 

5 

1,300 

$12,200 

534 

Arkansas  

17 

13 

2,l65 

39,345 

i>3" 

California  

12 

7 

2,075 

101,800 

1,702 

Colorado  

6 

2 

475 

22,500 

394 

Connecticut  

8 

4 

1,900 

33,500 

1,405 

District  of  Columbia 

i 

i 

400 

30,000 

375 

Florida  

3 

2 

270 

4,400 

209 

Idaho  

i 

27 

Illinois  

250 

223 

80,144 

1,456,630 

69,033 

Indiana  

1  02 

96 

32,299 

632,260 

24,666 

Iowa  

139 

82 

18,452 

194,715 

13,252 

Kansas  

7i 

47 

8,974 

95,030 

5,906 

Kentucky  

3 

3 

900 

9,800 

468 

Louisiana  

ii 

Ii 

3,375 

59,400 

2,452 

Maryland  

14 

12 

4,862 

129,975 

3,208 

Massachusetts  

10 

6 

1,575 

54,000 

i,7i7 

Michigan  

137 

109 

33,73i 

488,880 

27,472 

Minnesota  

217 

159 

36>346 

443,7oo 

30,398 

Missouri  

118 

112 

32,820 

613,940 

22,121 

Montana  

2 

I 

225 

10,000 

130 

Nebraska  

135 

93 

16,788 

168,570 

12,339 

New  Jersey  

5 

5 

1,320 

32,000 

699 

THE  EVANGELICAL  LUTHERANS. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. — Continued. 


193 


STATES. 

New  York 

Organi- 
zations. 

67 

Churd 
Edifices 

6e 

\      S<Cang 
pacity. 

24.  4.o6     3 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

)I,O55,455 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

22,64.2 

North  Dakota 

18 

*O 

6.0^0 

1,136 

Ohio 

CA 

re 

I8.33O 

4.OQ,Q7<» 

Oregon    

6,^OO 

274 

Pennsylvania  . 

....            26 

2C 

9,697 

2&A.QI4 

6,1;  cq 

South  Dakota  . 
Tennessee  
Texas 

....            71 

2 
28 

24 
2 
21 

4,368 
550 
4,680 

20,770 
30,110 

•3Q   671 

3,097 
227 
3  4.Q8 

Virginia 

A 

c 

1.27? 

2O   8l5 

-3QQ 

\Vest  Virginia 

4 

2 

•JQO 

121 

"Wisconsin 

388 

Q8,IQ3 

,3     ,3  3 

8^,04.2 

Total 1,934   1,531     443,185   $7,804,313   357,153 


SUMMARY  BY  SYNODS. 

90       58       14,523      $218,990     12,655 


SYNODS. 

Minnesota  

Missouri,  Ohio,  and 

other  States 1,589    1,261^366,507      6,759,535   293,211 

Wisconsin 237       198^   58,855         794,988     50,°95 

English  Conference 

of  Missouri 18         12^     3,300  30,800       1,192 

Total 1,934   1,531     443,i85   $7,804,313   357,153 


INDEPENDENT   LUTHERAN   SYNODS. 

There  are  twelve  Lutheran  synods  which  are  not  con- 
nected with  any  of  the  four  general  bodies,  and  are  there- 
fore called  independent  bodies.  They  occupy  this  attitude 
for  various  reasons.  In  at  least  two  cases,  those  of  the 
Suomai  Synod,  a  body  of  Finns,  and  the  Icelandic  Synod, 
the  reason  doubtless  is  peculiarity  of  language;  in  other 
cases  it  is  differences  of  view  on  various  doctrinal  and 
practical  questions  and  in  national  peculiarities.  Some  of 
these  bodies  are  small,  three  of  them  having  less  than  5000 
communicants  each,  but  some  of  them  are  large  enough  to 


194    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 

constitute  separate  denominations.  In  1892  the  Michigan 
Synod  united  with  the  Wisconsin  and  Minnesota  synods 
of  the  Synodical  Conference,  and  a  new  general  body  was 
thus  formed.  In  1 893  the  Joint  Synod  of  Ohio  and  the 
German  Synod  of  Iowa  agreed  upon  terms  of  pulpit  and 
altar  fellowship,  without  becoming  organically  united. 


5. — THE  JOINT   SYNOD   OF   OHIO   AND    OTHER    STATES. 

This  body  was  organized  in  1818.  It  occupied  an  in- 
dependent attitude  until  1867,  when  it  assisted  in  consti- 
tuting the  General  Council,  but  only  to  withdraw  in  the 
following  year,  because  it  was  not  fully  satisfied  with  the 
position  of  the  council  concerning  the  question  of  pulpit 
and  altar  fellowship  with  other  denominations.  It  has  ever 
been  conservative  and  strictly  confessional  in  character, 
and  it  was  for  nine  years  connected  with  the  Synodical 
Conference,  from  which  it  withdrew  in  1881  because  it 
could  not  accept  the  views  of  the  majority  concerning  the 
doctrine  of  predestination.  Since  then  it  has  occupied  an 
independent  position.  Its  constituency  is  for  the  most 
part  German,  but  in  about  a  third  of  its  congregations  both 
German  and  English  are  used.  Like  other  large  Lutheran 
synods,  it  is  divided  into  a  number  of  districts. 

While  its  chief  strength  is  in  the  State  of  Ohio,  it  has 
many  communicants  in  Wisconsin,  Michigan,  Pennsylvania, 
and  Indiana.  It  embraces  twenty-three  States  and  the 
District  of  Columbia,  New  York  constituting  the  most 
easterly  and  northerly  portion  of  its  territory,  Texas  the 
most  southerly,  and  Oregon  the  most  westerly.  It  has 
421  organizations,  443  edifices,  valued  at  $1,639,087,  and 
69,505  communicants.  Only  ten  of  its  organizations  hold 
services  in  other  than  church  edifices.  The  average  value 


THE  EVANGELICAL   LUTHERANS. 


195 


of  Its  edifices  is  $3700,  and  their  average  seating  capacity 
337.  Only  10  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  785,  are 
occupied. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

seating 

District  of  Columbia 

I 

I 

250 

Idaho  

I 

I 

300 

Illinois  

16 

16 

6,950 

Indiana  

34 

32 

11,825 

Iowa  

5 

8 

1,850 

Kansas  

5 

5 

1,500 

Louisiana  

i 

i 

700 

Maryland  

12 

12 

3,620 

Michigan  

21 

20 

7,672 

Minnesota  

21 

23 

8,700 

Missouri  

I 

I 

200 

Nebraska  

7 

7 

1,  800 

New  York  

2 

2 

330 

North  Carolina  

12 

II 

2,550 

North  Dakota  

I 

I 

300 

Ohio  

191 

197^ 

67,537 

Oregon  

I 

I 

200 

Pennsylvania  

32' 

32 

10,429 

South  Dakota  

3 

3 

I,OOO 

Texas  

4 

7 

2,850 

Virginia  

5 

4 

750 

Washington  

4 

6 

1,250 

West  Virginia  

16 

io)4 

2,025 

Wisconsin  

25 

41 

14,750 

Value  of 

Com- 

Church 

muni- 

Property. 

cants. 

$13,000 

150 

I,OOO 

80 

6o,OOO 

2,695 

160,950 

5,095 

10,500 

650 

2,750 

472 

5,000 

500 

38,900 

i,545 

125,700 

6,217 

37,250 

3,180 

600 

3° 

4,600 

440 

2,700 

198 

6,315 

567 

750 

7° 

839,272 

31,261 

600 

50 

206,100 

5,552 

2,700 

327 

20,000 

i,73° 

2,900 

175 

11,400 

386 

5,500 

779 

80,600 

7,356 

Total 421      443      149,338   $1,639,087    69,505 


6. — THE   BUFFALO   SYNOD. 

This  synod  was  organized  in  1845  by  the  Rev.  J.  A. 
A.  Grabau,  who  came  from  Germany,  where  he  had  suf- 
fered for  his  opposition  to  the  union  of  the  Reformed  and 
Lutheran  religions.  The  synod  has  announced  views  con- 
cerning the  ministerial  office  which  other  Lutherans  have 
considered  as  hierarchical.  It  insists  that  ordination,  unless 
by  ordained  ministers,  is  not  valid ;  that  ministers  created 


196    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

by  congregations  have  no  divine  authority  to  pronounce 
absolution  or  to  consecrate  the  elements  of  bread  and 
wine;  that  congregations  may  not  pronounce  excommu- 
nication ;  that  obedience  is  due  to  ministers ;  and  that  the 
synod  is  the  supreme  tribunal  in  the  church. 

The  synod  has  congregations  in  six  States,  with  25 
church  edifices,  valued  at  $84,410,  and  4242  communi- 
cants. The  average  value  of  its  edifices  is  $3376,  and 
their  average  seating  capacity  232.  Two  halls,  with  a 
seating  capacity  of  275,  are  occupied. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

California  

Organi- 
zations. 

...           I 

Church 
Edifices. 

I 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

JCQ 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Ssoo 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

26 

Illinois  

...           I 

I 

1OO 

2,i;oO 

n6 

Michigan  

4 

4. 

848 

IO,  IOO 

•542 

Minnesota  

...          2 

2 

loo 

•3.700 

112 

New  York  

...        12 

IO 

2,711; 

48,010 

2,268 

Wisconsin  

7 

7 

1,480 

19,600 

1,158 

Total 27        25         5,793       $84,410       4,242 

7. — HAUGE'S   SYNOD. 

This  is  a  body  of  Norwegian  Lutherans  organized  in  the 
period  1846-50  by  immigrants  from  Norway.  It  took  its 
name  from  Hauge,  a  leader  of  a  strong  spiritual  movement 
in  that  country.  Its  followers  lay  much  stress  upon  con- 
version and  are  noted  for  their  earnestness.  The  laymen 
participate  in  prayer  and  exhortation  in  public  assemblies, 
contrary  to  the  practice  of  some  other  bodies  of  a  more 
churchly  character.  This  synod  has  always  occupied  an 
independent  attitude. 

It  has  175  organizations,  divided  among  eleven  States, 


THE  EVANGELICAL  LUTHERANS. 


197 


but  with  two  thirds  of  its  strength  in  Minnesota,  South 
Dakota,  and  Wisconsin,  and  100  church  edifices  having  an 
average  seating  capacity  of  306  and  an  average  value  of 
$2149;  75  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  4436,  are  oc- 
cupied. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Illinois 

Drgani- 
zafcons. 

10 
I 

17 
I 
I 

Si 

16 
36 

2 
28 

Church 

Edifices. 

8 
i 
H 

Searing 
Ca- 
pacity. 

2,875 
250 

3,450 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$40,400 
800 
27,200 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

863 
29 

I>SS 

62 

6,534 
438 
576 

2,239 
205 
2,165 

Indiana 

Iowa                      .    . 

Kansas 

Michigan 

i 
4i 
4 

5 
ii 
i 
14 

200 
13,285 
725 
1,700 

2,955 
350 
4,710 

4,000 
99,345 
4,95° 
4,850 
11,700 

1,000 

20,150 

Minnesota  

Nebraska  

North  Dakota  
South  Dakota  

"Washington  

Total 175       loo      30,500      $214,395      H,730 


8. — THE   NORWEGIAN   CHURCH    IN   AMERICA. 

This  body  was  organized  by  Norwegian  immigrants  a 
few  years  later  than  Hauge's  Synod.  Like  the  latter,  it 
has  always  maintained  an  independent  position,  except  for 
the  short  period  when  it  was  connected  with  the  Synod- 
ical  Conference.  A  few  years  ago  a  controversy  over  the 
doctrine  of  predestination  caused  a  division  in  its  ministry 
and  congregations,  resulting  in  the  formation  of  what  was 
known  as  the  Anti- Missouri  Brotherhood.  The  synod 
accepted  the  views  of  the  Missouri  Synod,  which  its  type 
of  Lutheranism  resembles,  while  the  brotherhood  rejected 
these  views  as  Calvinistic. 

The  synod  is  divided  into  three  districts.     Its  territory 


198     RELIGIOUS  FORCES   OF   THE    UNITED   STATES. 

embraces  twenty-two  States,  stretching  from  ocean  to  ocean 
and  from  the  Lakes  to  the  Gulf.  Two  thirds  of  its  commu- 
nicants, however,  are  in  the  States  of  Minnesota  and  Wis- 
consin. The  average  value  of  its  church  edifices  is  $2929, 
and  their  average  seating  capacity  is  287.  It  occupies  182 
halls,  which  have  a  seating  capacity  of  12,115. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


—  ?aK: 

California 3 

Colorado i 

Idaho I 

Illinois 14 

Indiana 2 

Iowa 49 

Kansas i 

Massachusetts 2 

Michigan 14 

Minnesota 164 

Missouri 2 

Montana 3 

Nebraska 21 

New  Jersey i 

New  York 5 

North  Dakota 53 

Ohio 4 

Oregon 3 

South  Dakota 46 

Texas 4 

Washington I 

Wisconsin 95 


Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

I 

300 

$14,000 

I 

300 

2,OOO 

I 

6 
i 
26 

150 

'300 
9,275 

I,OOO 

95,500 

6,000 
97,800 

i 

100 

200 

7 

1,125 

32,843 

9,900 
267,950 

i 

2OO 

400 

i 

250 

1,200 

7 

1,520 

I2,2OO 

i 

225 

4,000 

i 

1,050 
2,200 

33,000 
22,975 

i 

150 

3,ooo 

i 

2OO 

2,500 

13 
5 

'950 

25,700 
6,700 

77% 

21,460 

200,800 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

I89 

75 
45 

1,688 
182 

7,059 

30 

375 

758 

21,832 

50 

165 

544 
1 80 

784 

2,784 

184 

95 

3,030 

35o 

16 

15,037 


Total 489      275        78,988      $806,825       55,452 


9. — THE   MICHIGAN    SYNOD. 

This  is  a  German  body  organized  in  1860.  It  helped 
to  organize  the  General  Council,  and  was  connected  with 
it  until  1888,  when  it  withdrew  because  the  position  of 


THE  EVANGELICAL   LUTHERANS.  199 

the  council  on  the  question  of  pulpit  and  altar  fellowship 
with  other  denominations  was  not  sufficiently  decided. 

The  synod  is  represented  in  the  States  of  Michigan  and 
Indiana,  having  in  all  11,482  communicants.  Its  church 
edifices  have  an  average  value  of  $3109  and  an  average 
seating  capacity  of  276.  There  are  12  halls,  with  a  seat- 
ing capacity  of  550. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Indiana 

Organi- 
zations. 

•3 

Church 
Edifices. 

pacity. 

I,  ICQ 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$7,  500 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

441 

Michigan  

62 

50 

13,463 

157,270 

11,041 

Total  .  . 

6«: 

M 

u,6n 

$164,770 

11,4.82 

10. — THE   DANISH    CHURCH    IN   AMERICA. 

This  is  the  oldest  body  of  Danish  Lutherans  in  this 
country,  having  been  organized  in  1872.  It  is  connected 
with  the  Church  of  Denmark,  which  sent  missionaries  to 
this  country,  who  helped  to  organize  Danish  congregations 
and  a  little  later  to  form  them  into  a  synod. 

It  has  congregations  in  fourteen  States  and  in  the  Ter- 
ritory of  Utah.  Its  territory  stretches  from  Maine  to 
California,  forming  a  belt  across  the  northern  portion  of 
the  country.  It  has  131  organizations,  with  75  edifices, 
having  an  average  seating  capacity  of  198  and  an  average 
value  of  $1741.  The  total  number  of  communicants  is 
10,181,  more  than  half  of  whom  are  to  be  found  in  the 
States  of  Iowa,  Wisconsin,  Illinois,  and  Minnesota.  The 
synod  is  divided  into  9  districts.  There  are  42  halls,  with 
a  seating  capacity  of  2175,  used  as  places  of  worship. 


200    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

California  
Connecticut    . 

Organi- 
zations. 

4 
2 

Church 
Edifices. 

I 

2 

Sging 
pacity. 

300 
•3  CO 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$1,200 
2  OOO 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

125 
2OO 

Illinois             .    . 

C 

I   -37.0 

11   IOO 

I   7.IA 

Iowa 

27 

J 
Id 

7.7QQ 

24..  8OO 

2  211 

Kansas        .  .         . 

•*J 
I 

I 

I2C 

8OO 

1  2O 

Maine 

2 

2 

/too 

2OO 

Massachusetts  

7 

119 

Michigan 

g 

I.QOO 

1  7.7OO 

i;88 

Minnesota       .    . 

17 

8 

I.27.O 

I  I.3OO 

3«jw 
I.O72 

Nebraska 

IO 

ii 

I   r  10 

2O,  IOO 

888 

New  Jersey 

c 

I,  COO 

6,OOO 

c6q 

New  York           .  .   . 

c 

4.7  e 

II,OOO 

jvj 

AIQ 

South  Dakota 

II 

I 

2OO 

I.  CQO 

+*~ 

28; 

Utah 

2 

48 

Wisconsin  

16 

17 

2,6OO 

22,2OO 

2,076 

Total.. 

131 

7? 

14,760 

$120,700 

10,181 

II. — THE  GERMAN   AUGSBURG  SYNOD. 

This  body  was  formed  in  1875.  It  has  23  organizations, 
distributed  among  nine  States.  These  organizations  own 
23  church  edifices,  with  an  average  seating  capacity  of  329 
and  an  average  value  of  $4829. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 
Orfani-  Church     Sadng 

zatfon,    Edifices. 


Arkansas  

.  .  .         I 

Illinois  

4 

4 

700 

Indiana  

.  .  .           2 

2 

600 

Iowa  

.  .  .           I 

I 

IOO 

Michigan  

.  .  .           I 

I 

7OO 

Missouri  

.  .  .           2 

7 

1,760 

New  York  

.  .  .            I 

I 

7OO 

Ohio 

I 

I 

I,  OOO 

Wisconsin 

IO 

IO 

2,8OO 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

7C 

$9,450 

5,000 

1,000 

5,000 
40,000 
3,5oo 
26,800 
20,310 

631 

370 
70 

174 
1,199 
800 
1,700 
1,991 

Total 23        23         7,560       $111,060       7,010 


THE  EVANGELICAL  LUTHERANS. 


201 


12. — THE   DANISH   ASSOCIATION   IN   AMERICA. 

This  association  was  formed  in  1884,  chiefly  by  Danish 
ministers,  who  withdrew  from  what  was  then  called  the 
Norwegian- Danish  Conference,  not  because  of  doctrinal 
or  ecclesiastical  differences,  but  because  of  reasons  growing 
out  of  differences  of  nationality. 

It  embraces  50  organizations,  with  33  church  edifices, 
having  an  average  seating  capacity  of  173  and  an  average 
value  of  $1357.  There  are  15  halls,  with  a  seating  capac- 
ity of  480. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

California 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

2 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

37? 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$•}  OOO 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

1AA 

Illinois 

j 

4  OOO 

CO 

Iowa 

6 

2 

•3  CQ 

I.SOO 

y 

4.13 

Minnesota 

14. 

•25 

1,671; 

IO,  ISO 

*Tl  J 

I,  C24. 

Nebraska 

..       16 

14 

2,200 

14,  62s 

754. 

Oregon        

i 

2O 

South  Dakota 

2 

2 

250 

2,2OO 

JC-I 

\Vashington  

2 

4O 

Wisconsin  . 

4 

4. 

8co 

7.  OOO 

3Qi; 

Total 


50        33         5,700        $44,775       3,493 


13. — THE   ICELANDIC   SYNOD. 

The  Synod  of  Icelanders  was  organized  in  1885.  By 
far  the  larger  part  of  this  synod  is  in  Manitoba. 

It  has  in  this  country  1 3  organizations,  4  church  edifices, 
with  an  average  seating  capacity  of  325  and  an  average 
value  of  $1800,  and  1991  communicants.  It  is  represented 
in  two  States  only,  Minnesota  and  North  Dakota.  There 
are  9  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  750. 


202     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 
SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


stags'  a£   SJ 

Minnesota 5         22 1 

North  Dakota 8          4       1,300        $7,200       1,770 


Total 13          4       1,300        $7,200       1,991 

14. — THE   IMMANUEL   SYNOD. 

This  is  a  small  German  body  whose  organization  dates 
from  1886.  It  is  represented  in  seven  States  and  the 
District  of  Columbia,  having  21  organizations,  19  church 
edifices,  with  an  average  seating  capacity  of  279  and  an 
average  value  of  $4958,  and  5580  communicants. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Sri: 

District  of  Columbia         i 
Illinois           .          -  -          T 

Church       SegjnS 
Edifices'       padty. 

I                 3OO 
I                 300 
I                  150 
I                 6OO 
2                 550 

3            600 
6         i,  600 
4         1,200 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$15,000 
IO,OOO 
1,200 
15,000 

7,000 
6,000 

25,500 
14,500 

Corn- 
muni- 
cants. 

500 
300 
1  80 
500 
700 
600 

i>35° 
1,450 

Indiana          .  . 

i 

Michigan 

i 

New  Jersey     .  ,    . 

2 

New  York  

C 

Ohio     .         ... 

6 

Pennsylvania  .    .  . 

4. 

Total.  . 

21 

10 

5,^00 

$04.,  200 

<?,«;8o 

15. — THE   SUOMAI    SYNOD. 

This  is  a  body  of  Finnish  Lutherans  constituted  in  1889. 
It  has  1 1  organizations,  8  church  edifices,  with  an  average 
seating  capacity  of  230  and  an  average  value  of  $1548, 
and  1385  communicants,  of  whom  1265  are  in  Michigan 
and  1 20  in  South  Dakota. 


THE  EVANGELICAL  LUTHERANS.  203 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Organi-     Church 
zations.     Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

10          7 
i           i 

1,715 

2OO 

$10,973 
1,925 

1,265 
120 

Michigan 10 

South  Dakota  . 

Total ii          8         1,915          $12,898       1,385 

1 6. — THE   UNITED   NORWEGIAN   CHURCH. 

This  body  was  constituted  in  1 890  by  the  union  of  three 
synods,  viz.,  the  Norwegian  Augustana  Synod,  organized 
in  1860,  the  Conference  of  the  Norwegian- Danish  Church, 
organized  in  1870,  and  the  Norwegian  Anti-Missouri  Broth- 
erhood, organized  in  1887.  The  Brotherhood  separated 
from  the  Norwegian  Synod  because  they  could  not  accept 
the  latter' s  views  respecting  the  doctrine  of  absolute  pre- 
destination. The  union  of  these  three  bodies  was  due  to  a 
movement  to  bring  together,  as  far  as  possible,  all  Norwe- 
gian Lutherans  in  one  body.  Hauge's  Synod  and  the  Nor- 
wegian Synod,  however,  still  maintain  a  separate  attitude. 

The  United  Synod  embraces  eighteen  States  in  its  terri- 
tory. It  has  1 1 22  organizations,  670  church  edifices,  and 
119,972  communicants,  of  whom  49,541  are  in  the  single 
State  of  Minnesota.  The  average  seating  capacity  of  the 
churches  is  277,  and  the  average  value  $2312.  There  are 
393  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  29,185. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Idaho  

Organi- 
zations. 

I 

Church 
Edifices. 

I 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$2,500 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

no 

Illinois 

27 

24. 

6  4.4.? 

68.4.OO 

1,208 

Iowa 

III 

22O,  IOO 

14,891 

Kansas  . 

7 

1 

6?0 

<;,ioo 

114- 

204    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 
SUMMARY  BY  STATES. — Continued. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Searing 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Maine  

2 

I 

200 

$2,000 

225 

Maryland  

I 

.  . 

.... 

42 

Michigan  

27 

23 

5,973 

69,450 

3,on 

Minnesota  

405 

283 

76,791 

608,200 

49,541 

Missouri  

I 

.  . 

H 

Montana  

2 

.  . 

.... 

87 

Nebraska  

13 

I 

100 

250 

New  Hampshire  .  . 

I 

I 

250 

2,500 

125 

New  York  

I 

84 

North  Dakota  

162 

44 

10,380 

77,55° 

10,283 

Oregon  

5 

2 

650 

9,500 

204 

South  Dakota  

148 

41 

8,150 

54,655 

7,922 

Washington  

19 

IO 

2,575 

29,600 

819 

Wisconsin  

187 

151 

47,443 

394,450 

28,717 

Total 1,122      670     185,242    $1,544,455    "9,972 

INDEPENDENT  CONGREGATIONS. 

Besides  the  independent  synods  there  are  a  number  of 
independent  Lutheran  congregations — that  is,  congrega- 
tions which  do  not  belong  to  any  synod.  In  most  cases 
the  reason  is  not  doctrinal,  but  simply  a  love  of  independ- 
ence. Not  infrequently  the  pastor  of  an  independent 
congregation  is  himself  a  member  of  some  synod.  They 
are  found  in  most  of  the  States  and  Territories.  They 
aggregate  231  organizations,  188  church  edifices,  with  a 
seating  capacity  of  62,334,  and  valued  at  $1,249,745,  and 
41,953  communicants. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES  OF  ALL  LUTHERANS. 


STATES. 

Alabama  

Organi- 
zations. 

IO 

Church 
Edifices. 

7 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

1,850 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$I5,4OO 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

7OI 

Arkansas  

18 

/ 

13 

9      J 

2,165 

*r  *  J  )  *t'v-'v^ 

3O.345 

/  " 

1,386 

California  

30 

*  J 

21 

9  *      J 

6,575 

jyjjtj 
364,800 

9O 

4,267 

Colorado  .  . 

21 

14 

)j/j 
3,236 

O     ^9  *f*^"* 

154,800 

^9~     / 

1,208 

THE  EVANGELICAL  LUTHERANS. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES  OF  ALL  LUTHERANS — Continued. 


205 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Connecticut  

37 

23 

8,820 

$172,900 

5,762 

Delaware  

2 

I 

335 

+J*J  _/ 

10,000 

296 

Dist.  of  Columbia 

II 

13 

6,100 

414,000 

2,997 

Florida  

6 

4 

730 

9,850 

369 

Georgia  

18 

17 

5,825 

124,150 

i,932 

Idaho  

7 

5 

930 

6,950 

401 

Illinois  

590 

Sii 

I75»037 

3,021,850 

116,807 

Indiana  

279 

266 

82,609 

1,220,410 

41,832 

Iowa  

567 

400 

107,708 

1,150,795 

63,725 

Kansas  

205 

H7 

33,688 

418,410 

16,262 

Kentucky  

18 

17 

5^70 

60,300 

2,394 

Louisiana  

12 

12 

4,075 

64,400 

2,952 

Maine  

6 

5 

1,300 

8,600 

904 

Maryland  

131 

129 

55,602 

1,081,925 

24,648 

Massachusetts  .  .  . 

30 

IS 

4,260 

114,400 

4,137 

Michigan  

380 

307 

86,132 

1,109,058 

62,897 

Minnesota  

1,141 

827 

227,925 

2,143,805 

145,907 

Mississippi  

ii 

10 

2,750 

4,650 

533 

Missouri  

160 

148 

42,689 

890,090 

27,099 

Montana  

8 

2 

475 

II,2OO 

394 

Nebraska  

387 

253 

49,949 

774,8l6 

27,297 

New  Hampshire  .  . 
New  Jersey  

638 

3 

53 

1,000 
18,080 

l6,OOO 
526,750 

520 
12,878 

New  Mexico  

2 

64 

New  York  

317 

306 

117,115 

4,693,375 

89,046 

North  Carolina  .  . 

131 

118 

47,oi3 

270,005 

12,326 

North  Dakota  .  .  . 

298 

75 

18,040 

136,275 

18,269 

Ohio  

588 

573 

192,537 

3,007,097 

89,569 

Oregon  

21 

12 

2,515 

59,050 

i,  080 

Pennsylvania  .... 

1,292    I 

,105 

515,827 

9,258,020 

219,725 

Rhode  Island  

4 

2 

600 

7,750 

590 

South  Carolina  .  . 

74 

78 

27,525 

339,250 

8,757 

South  Dakota  .  .  _ 

432 

138 

27,783 

183,575 

23,314 

Tennessee  

36 

33 

12,560 

91,700 

2,975 

Texas  

88 

80 

20,840 

210,915 

14,556 

Utah  

4 

84 

Vermont  

2 

174 

Virginia  

157 

136 

48,165 

344,915 

12,220 

Washington  

35 

22 

5,575 

75,950 

1,912 

West  Virginia  .  .  . 

47 

41 

10,605 

118,525 

4,176 

Wisconsin  

894 

757 

223,570 

2,328,138 

160,919 

Wyoming  

8 

2 

350 

6,100 

721 

Total 8,595  6,701  2,205,635  $35,060,354  1,231,072 


CHAPTER   XXVIII. 

THE    MENNONITES. 

THE  Mennonites  take  their  name  from  Menno  Simons, 
born  in  Witmarsum,  Holland,  in  1492.  He  entered  the 
priesthood  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  and  in  1524 
was  appointed  chaplain  in  Pingium.  Two  years  later  he 
began  to  read  the  Scriptures,  which  he  had  hitherto  ignored. 
Becoming  a  close  student  of  them,  his  views  on  various 
doctrines  soon  changed,  and  he  was  known  as  an  evangel- 
ical preacher.  Upon  hearing  of  the  decapitation  of  a  de- 
vout Christian  because  he  had  renewed  his  baptism,  Menno 
Simons  began  to  examine  into  the  Scriptural  teaching  on 
that  subject,  and  was  convinced  that  there  was  no  Script- 
ural warrant  for  infant  baptism.  He  remained  in  connec- 
tion with  the  Church  of  Rome  for  several  years,  during 
which  he  wrote  a  book  against  the  Miinsterites.  He 
renounced  Catholicism  early  in  1536,  and  was  baptized  at 
Leeuwarden.  In  the  course  of  the  following  year  he  was 
ordained  a  minister  in  what  was  then  known  as  the  Old 
Evangelical  or  Waldensian  Church.  From  this  time  on  to 
his  death,  in  1559,  he  was  active  in  the  cause  of  evangelical 
truth,  traveling  through  northern  Germany,  and  preach- 
ing everywhere.  The  churches  which  he  organized  as  a 
result  of  his  labors  rejected  infant  baptism  and  held  to  the 
principle  of  non-resistance.  A  severe  persecution  began 

206 


THE  MENNONITES.  207 

to  make  itself  felt  against  his  followers,  the  Mennonites ; 
and,  having  heard  accounts  of  the  colony  established  in 
the  New  World  by  William  Penn,  they  began  to  emigrate 
to  Pennsylvania  near  the  close  of  the  seventeenth  century, 
that  they  might  have  opportunity  to  worship  in  peace. 

The  first  Mennonite  church  in  this  country  was  estab- 
lished in  Germantown.  Upon  the  site  occupied  by  that 
church  a  plain  stone  meeting-house,  erected  in  1770,  now 
stands.  The  colony  of  Germantown,  which  had  secured  a 
tract  of  about  six  thousand  acres  of  land,  was  increased 
from  time  to  time  by  immigration  from  Europe.  In  1688 
the  Mennonite  meeting  at  Germantown  adopted  a  protest 
against  traffic  in  slaves,  said  to  have  been  the  first  ever 
made  on  this  continent.  In  this  protest  they  say  that 
many  negroes  are  brought  hither  against  their  will,  and 
though  they  are  black  "  we  cannot  conceive  there  is  more 
liberty  to  have  them  slaves  than  it  is  to  have  other  white 
ones."  The  protest,  which  was  sent  to  the  Friends,  as- 
serted that  "  those  who  steal  or  rob  men  and  those  who 
buy  or  purchase  them "  are  all  alike.  The  protest  was 
finally  sent  up  to  the  Yearly  Meeting  of  Friends,  where, 
after  some  consideration,  it  was  voted  not  to  be  proper  for 
the  meeting  to  give  a  positive  judgment  in  the  case.  The 
minute  of  the  Yearly  Meeting  refers  to  the  Mennonites  as 
"  German  Friends." 

Successive  immigrations  from  Holland,  Switzerland 
Germany,  and,  in  the  last  twenty- five  years,  from  southern 
Russia,  have  resulted  in  placing  the  great  majority  of 
Mennonites  in  the  world  on  American  soil,  in  the  United 
States  and  Canada.  According  to  the  census  reports  for 
1890,  the  number  of  members  in  this  country,  exclusive  of 
Canada,  is  less  than  42,000.  This  is  the  first  complete 


2O8     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 

statistical  statement  that  has  been  made  of  the  Mennonites, 
and  the  number  of  members  returned  is  much  smaller  than 
was  expected.  In  1860  there  was  a  general  meeting  of 
Mennonites  in  Iowa,  and  the  minutes  of  that  conference 
estimated  the  number  of  Mennonites  in  the  United  States 
at  128,000.  That  estimate  must  have  been  a  great  deal 
too  high,  or  the  denomination  has  suffered  extraordinary 
losses  since. 

The  doctrines  held  by  the  Mennonites  are  set  forth  in 
eighteen  articles  of  faith,  which  were  adopted  at  a  confer- 
ence held  in  Dordrecht,  Holland,  in  1632.  The  first  article 
treats  of  the  Trinity  and  of  God's  work  in  creation ;  the 
second  of  the  fall  of  man  through  the  disobedience  of 
Adam  and  Eve,  who  were  "  separated  and  estranged  from 
God,  that  neither  they  themselves,  nor  any  of  their  poster- 
ity, nor  angel,  nor  man,  nor  any  other  creature  in  heaven 
or  on  earth,  could  help  them,  redeem  them,  or  reconcile 
them  to  God."  They  would  have  been  eternally  lost  had 
not  God  interposed  in  their  behalf  with  love  and  mercy. 
The  third  article  shows  how  the  first  man  and  his  pos- 
terity are  restored  through  the  sacrifice  of  the  Son  of  God. 
The  next  ten  articles  set  forth  the  doctrines  of  salvation, 
the  ordinances,  and  treat  of  marriage  and  the  magistracy. 
The  fourteenth  article  declares  one  of  the  prominent  princi- 
ples of  the  Mennonites,  namely,  non-resistance.  It  enjoins 
believers  not  to  provoke  or  do  violence  to  any  man,  but 
to  promote  the  welfare  and  happiness  of  all ;  to  flee  when 
necessary  for  the  Lord's  sake  from  one  country  to  another, 
"  take  patiently  the  spoiling  of  our  goods,"  and  "  when  we 
are  smitten  on  one  cheek  to  turn  the  other,  rather  than 
take  revenge  or  resent  evil."  Enemies  are  to  be  prayed 


THE  MENNONITES.  209 

for,  and,  when  hungry  and  thirsty,  to  be  fed  and  refreshed. 
The  fifteenth  article  interprets  Christ  as  forbidding  the  use 
of  all  oaths,  judicial  and  otherwise.  The  sixteenth  treats 
of  the  ban,  which  is  for  amendment  and  not  for  destruction. 
Those  who  have  been  received  into  the  company  of  saints, 
if  they  sin  voluntarily  or  presumptuously  against  God,  or 
unto  death,  must  as  offending  members  be  reproved  and 
excommunicated.  The  seventeenth  article  enjoins  the 
duty  of  avoiding  those  who  are  separated  from  God  and 
the  church,  not  only  in  eating  and  drinking,  but  in  all 
similar  temporal  matters ;  although  if  an  offending  member 
is  hungry  or  thirsty  or  in  distress  of  any  kind,  it  is  lawful 
to  relieve  him.  The  eighteenth  article  pertains  to  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead  and  the  last  judgment.  The 
righteous  are  to  reign  with  Christ  forever,  and  the  wicked 
are  to  be  thrust  down  into  the  everlasting  pains  of  hell. 

The  Mennonites  believe  in  baptism  on  profession  of 
faith,  but  they  do  not  baptize  by  immersion  except  in  one 
or  two  branches,  but  by  pouring.  Candidates  after  having 
been  under  suitable  instruction  are  catechized  as  to  their 
faith  in  God  and  their  desire  to  be  received  into  the  Church, 
and  then  receive  baptism  kneeling,  the  minister  taking 
water  with  both  hands  from  a  vessel  and  putting  it  upon 
their  heads  and  saying,  "  Upon  the  confession  of  thy  faith 
which  thou  hast  made  before  God  and  these  witnesses,  I 
baptize  thee  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Each  candidate  is  then  given  the  right 
hand  of  fellowship  and  the  kiss  of  peace,  the  wife  of  the 
minister  or  deacon  or  some  other  sister  giving  the  kiss  to 
the  female  converts.  Persons  received  from  other  denom- 
inations are  not  re-baptized  unless  they  earnestly  desire  it. 


210    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

In  some  cases  candidates  are  baptized  in  the  water,  kneel- 
ing therein,  the  minister  taking  up  water  in  both  hands  and 
pouring  it  upon  their  heads. 

The  Lord's  Supper  is  observed  twice  a  year,  usually  in 
the  spring  and  fall.  Church  examinations  are  held  before 
communion  in  order  to  inquire  into  the  standing  and 
condition  of  each  member.  Each  member  is  examined 
privately,  and  asked  whether  he  is  at  peace  with  God,  with 
the  church,  and  with  all  men,  and  desirous  to  partake  of 
the  Lord's  Supper.  If  there  are  any  difficulties  between 
members  an  effort  is  made  to  have  them  all  settled  before 
the  communion  takes  place.  As  the  bread  and  wine  are 
passed,  those  who  receive  them  rise  to  their  feet  one  after 
another.  Sometimes  the  communicant  goes  forward  to 
receive  the  bread  and  wine ;  in  other  cases  the  minister 
goes  from  seat  to  seat  and  from  person  to  person.  After 
the  Lord's  Supper  the  ceremony  of  feet-washing  is  per- 
formed. The  deacons  bring  in  vessels  of  water,  and  the 
members  proceed  to  wash  and  wipe  one  another's  feet  and 
to  give  the  kiss  of  peace,  the  sexes  separating  for  this 
purpose.  The  polity  is  of  the  Presbyterian  type. 

Ministers  are  chosen  from  the  congregations  to  be  served. 
A  request  is  made  to  the  conference,  and  a  day  is  appointed 
for  the  purpose  of  making  the  choice.  The  bishop  preaches 
an  appropriate  sermon,  and  then  retires  to  the  council-room 
with  two  fellow-ministers.  All  the  members  who  desire 
to  do  so  visit  the  council- room,  one  by  one,  and  indicate 
the  person  of  their  choice.  If  only  one  brother  has  been 
chosen  in  this  way,  ordination  is  immediately  proceeded 
with.  When  more  than  one  is  nominated,  a  day  is  ap- 
pointed in  which  to  make  choice  by  lot  between  those 
nominated.  When  choice  by  lot  is  made,  the  deacons  take 


THE  MENNONITES.  211 

as  many  hymn-books  as  there  are  candidates,  and,  retiring 
to  the  council- room,  place  in  one  of  these  books  a  slip  of 
paper  on  which  is  written  the  words :  "  The  lot  is  cast  into 
the  lap,  but  the  whole  disposing  thereof  is  of  the  Lord;" 
or,  "  Herewith  God  has  called  thee  to  the  ministry  of  the 
Gospel."  The  books  are  then  taken  into  the  audience- 
room  and  placed  on  the  desk  or  table.  After  prayer  has 
been  made  each  of  the  brethren  nominated  takes  a  book, 
and  the  bishop  proceeds  to  look  for  the  lot.  The  one  in 
whose  book  it  is  found  is  considered  chosen,  and  the  bishop 
then  proceeds  to  ordain  him  with  laying  on  of  hands.  The 
ceremony  is  concluded  with  the  kiss  of  peace,  which  is 
given  by  the  bishop  and  the  other  ministers. 

Deacons  are  chosen  from  the  congregation  in  the  same 
manner  as  ministers.  Their  office  is  to  care  for  the  poor 
and  sick,  to  assist  in  administering  the  ordinances,  and  to 
take  charge  of  public  meetings  in  the  absence  of  the  min- 
ister or  bishop.  Bishops  or  elders  are  ministers  having 
pastoral  charge  of  a  district,  in  which  there  may  be  one  or 
several  places  of  worship.  All  the  ministers  in  the  district 
are  under  the  direction  of  the  bishop  or  elder.  A  bishop 
is  selected  in  the  same  manner  as  a  minister  or  deacon,  and 
is  consecrated  in  the  same  way.  When  difficulties  arise 
between  brethren  they  are  settled  by  arbitration.  Those 
who  refuse  to  submit  to  arbitration  are  excommunicated, 
and  the  names  of  the  excommunicated  are  publicly  an- 
nounced. The  Mennonites  do  not  accept  public  offices 
except  in  connection  with  the  management  of  schools. 
They  are  a  sober,  industrious,  and  thrifty  people,  simple 
in  their  habits,  and  conscientious,  devout,  and  faithful 
Christians.  More  than  a  third  of  them  are  found  in  Penn- 
sylvania, the  great  German  State.  They  are  also  strong 


212     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


in  Ohio,  Kansas,  Illinois,  and  Indiana.  The  Russian  Men- 
nonites  have  formed  several  settlements  in  the  Northwest 
and  across  the  northern  border  in  Manitoba. 

There  are  twelve  branches  of  Mennonites,  as  follows : 


1.  Mennonite, 

2.  Bruederhoef, 

3.  Amish, 

4.  Old  Amish, 

5.  Apostolic, 

6.  Reformed, 


7.  General  Conference, 

8.  Church  of  God  in  Christ, 

9.  Old  (Wisler), 

10.  Brueder-Gemeinde, 

n.  Defenseless, 

12.  Brethren  in  Christ. 


I. — THE   MENNONITE   CHURCH. 

This  may  be  regarded  as  the  parent  body.  It  has  nearly 
18,000  communicants,  considerably  more  than  one  third  of 
the  total  of  Mennonites  in  this  country.  Many  of  its  con- 
gregations are  very  small,  the  average  number  of  com- 
municants to  each  congregation  in  Kansas  being  only 
about  25.  There  are  12  conferences,  besides  23  congre- 
gations which  sustain  no  conference  relations.  There  are 
29  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  1030. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Illinois  

Organi- 
zations. 

8 

Church 
Edifices. 

6 

Seating 
parity. 
1,10? 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$6,250 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

277 

Indiana  

10 

•2,171; 

1  1  ,04.0 

7OO 

Iowa  

7 

28 

Kansas  

2O 

C 

1,077, 

3,O7O 

CI7 

Maryland  

C 

e 

I,7OO 

6,600 

33* 

Michigan  

c 

7 

875 

2,2OO 

i  "5  "5 

Minnesota  . 

6 

4 

I.AOO 

7.7OO 

725 

Missouri 

6 

7}£ 

QOO 

2.OOO 

IQQ 

Nebraska 

8 

c 

3r*** 

I.IQO 

7,2^0 

751 

North  Dakota 

i 

41 

Ohio  . 

27 

22^ 

8,760 

15,4.50 

1,7^6 

THE  MENNONITES. 


213 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. — Continued. 


STATES. 

Oregon    

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

2 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$1,  TOO 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Ill 

Pennsylvania  

114. 

no 

41  Q52 

22I,IOO 

x  *  3 

IO  O77 

South  Dakota  

**T 

7 

6 

IjOOO 

2.  COO 

•  *O    /  / 

/ 

I 

i 

ICO 

•*>  3v-"-' 
2OO 

28 

16 

17 

3 

6,675 

10,02=; 

666 

West  Virginia  

2 

*  J 

2 

v>"o 
600 

m^ffymy 

900 

80 

Total 246        198     70,605     $317,045      17,078 


2. — THE   BRUEDERHOEF. 

Jacob  Huter,  of  Innspruck,  in  the  Tyrol,  is  considered 
the  founder  of  this  branch.  Huter  was  burned  at  the  stake 
in  1536.  He  instituted  the  communistic  idea,  which  is 
still  maintained,  the  members  "  having  all  things  in  com- 
mon." His  followers  were  driven  from  Moravia  into  Hun- 
gary, thence  to  Roumania,  and  in  1769  to  Russia.  The 
entire  community  came  to  the  United  States  from  Russia 
in  1874.  They  are  a  German-speaking  community,  and 
their  books,  which  are  in  manuscript,  are  written  in  that 
language.  They  are  all  settled  in  three  counties  in  South 
Dakota. 

SUMMARY. 


STATB. 

South  Dakota 


Organi-    Church 
zatoons.    Edifices. 


Value  of  Corn- 

Church  muni- 

Property,  cants. 


5          5        600          $4,500        352 


3. — THE   AMISH. 

The  Amish  constitute   the  second   largest   Mennonite 
branch.     They  take  their  name  from  Jacob  Ammen,  who 


214     RELIGIOUS  FORCES   OF   THE    UNITED   STATES. 

separated  from  the  main  body  of  Mennonites  about  two 
centuries  ago,  on  account  of  differences  respecting  the  en- 
forcement of  church  discipline.  He  and  his  followers 
insisted  that  the  ban  should  be  more  rigorously  observed. 
In  Pennsylvania  they  are  very  numerous.  They  used  to 
be  called  "  Hookers,"  because  they  wore  hooks  instead 
of  buttons  on  their  coats.  They  are  represented  in  four- 
teen States,  being  most  numerous  in  Illinois,  Pennsylvania, 
and  Ohio.  There  are  33  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity 
of  960. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Arkansas 

Organi- 
zations. 

I 

Church 
Edifices. 

I 

Seating 
pacity. 
75 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$3OO 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

61 

Colorado 

I 

I 

80 

coo 

*O 

7C 

Illinois 

18 

1-5 

3,6do 

yju 
IQ  OOO 

/  j 
2  3O1 

Indiana 

10 

2,000 

0.800 

O2Q 

Iowa 

7 

1,2  IO 

6  7OO 

QO7 

Kansas 

12 

371 

I.7OO 

y^j 
20  1 

Maryland 

.  .  .           2 

2 

•3CO 

I.4.OO 

121 

Missouri 

2 

830 

A,  IOO 

2 

316 

Nebraska 

c 

2 

4.70 

1  ,2OO 

CO4. 

New  York 

2 

4OO 

3.OOO 

2QO 

Ohio 

12 

II 

3,721 

17.  SlO 

^yy 
1,061 

Oresron 

2 

I 

3OO 

500 

60 

Pennsylvania 

.     .         2O 

Q 

1,071 

9,800 

2,234. 

Tennessee  . 

I 

30 

Total 97       61       15,43°       $76,45°        i°,i°i 


4. — THE   OLD    AMISH. 

This  branch  was  the  result  of  a  division  among  the 
Amish  about  twenty-five  years  ago  on  the  question  of 
enforcing  church  discipline.  The  Old  Amish  are  very 
strict  in  adhering  to  the  ancient  forms  and  practices,  op- 
posing the  innovations  in  forms  of  worship  and  manner  of 


THE  MENNONITES.  215 

conducting  church  work  introduced  during  the  present 
century.  There  are  only  about  2000  of  them,  and  they 
have  but  one  church  edifice.  Their  meetings  are  all  held 
in  private  houses,  except  in  one  case. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 

Seating  Value  of          Com- 

-ujj- 


Illinois  ...........  I  I  200  $1,500  105 

Indiana  ..........  8  .  .  ...  .....  853 

Kansas  ...........  3  .  .  ...  .....  145 

Missouri  ..........  I  .  .  ...  .....  24 

Ohio  .............  5  .  .  ...  .....  694 

Oregon  ...........  3  .....  .....  73 

Pennsylvania  ......  i  .  .  .*.  .....  144 

Total  .........  22  i  200  $1,500  2,038 


5. — THE  APOSTOLIC. 

This  is  properly  a  branch  of  the  Amish  Mennonites, 
differing  from  them  chiefly  in  being  less  strict  in  the  ob- 
servance of  the  rules  of  discipline  and  forms  of  worship. 
There  are  only  209  of  them,  belonging  to  two  congregations 

in  Ohio. 

SUMMARY. 

Seating          Value  of  Com- 


cants. 

Ohio 2  i  225          $1,200         209 

6. — THE    REFORMED. 

In  1812  a  movement  was  begun  among  the  Mennonites 
for  "  the  restoration  of  purity  in  teaching  and  the  main- 
tenance of  discipline  "  under  the  leadership  of  John  Herr. 


2l6    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 

The  "  Herrites,"  as  they  are  sometimes  called,  are  very 
strict  in  their  observances,  severe  in  the  use  of  the  ban, 
and  decline  fellowship  with  other  denominations.  They 
are  represented  in  seven  States,  more  than  half  of  their 
communicants,  however,  being  found  in  Pennsylvania. 
Services  are  held  in  4  private  houses  and  in  i  hall,  with  a 
seating  capacity  of  50. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Illinois  

Organi- 
zations. 

...             I 

Church 
Edifices. 

I 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

4OO 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$2,5OO 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

60 

Indiana   

...           2 

I 

IOO 

7OO 

78 

Maryland  

...            2 

2 

4.OO 

1,  8OO 

§ 

Michigan  

7 

C2 

New  York 

•a 

coo 

2  2OO 

I2C 

Ohio  

^ 

1 

•$\j^i 
I.7CO 

6.  3  en 

1 

4.26 

Pennsylvania  

...       16 

16 

4,6ce 

^Q,  IOO 

8qO 

Total 34          29       7,465        $52,650      1,655 


7. — THE   GENERAL   CONFERENCE. 

The  beginning  of  this  body  is  traced  to  a  difficulty 
which  arose  in  Pennsylvania  in  1848,  in  a  matter  of  dis- 
cipline. John  Oberholzer  was  charged  with  attempting  to 
introduce  new  practices  and  new  doctrines.  As  the  result 
of  the  controversy  which  arose  over  the  matter  an  organiza- 
tion was  formed,  called  the  New  Mennonites.  This  body 
is  less  strict  than  most  other  branches  of  Mennonites,  and 
is  in  favor  of  an  educated  and  paid  ministry.  The  Gen- 
eral Conference  was  organized  in  1860  at  West  Point,  la. 
At  its  third  meeting,  in  1863,  a  plan  for  an  educational  in- 
stitute was  adopted,  and  a  theological  school  was  begun 
at  Wadsworth,  O.  It  flourished  for  a  number  of  years  and 


THE  MENNONITES. 


217 


was  then  discontinued.  The  General  Conference  has  mis- 
sions among  the  Arapahoe  and  Cheyenne  Indians,  in  Indian 
Territory.  It  also  conducts  a  number  of  home  missions. 
There  are  three  district  conferences,  the  Central,  the 
Eastern,  and  the  Western.  The  General  Conference  meets 
once  every  three  years.  There  are  5670  communicants, 
scattered  over  ten  States.  The  average  seating  capacity 
of  the  edifices  is  323,  and  the  average  value  $2776.  One 
hall,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  50,  is  reported. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Illinois 

Organi- 
zations. 

I 

Church 
Edifices. 

I 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

5CO 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$1  OOO 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

1  60 

Indiana 

I 

I 

J3U 
800 

3  ooo 

iwy 
4.OC. 

Iowa 

e 

5f  •  :  • 

I  O71 

SQCn 

*PO 

COQ 

Kansas 

TC. 

c  6^O 

>;O'~' 
33.OOO 

D^y 

2.14.7 

Minnesota  .  . 

I 

*  J 
I 

4.OO 

I.  coo 

7O 

Missouri  

2 

I 

2OO 

I,  OOO 

1-3-5 

New  York  

2 

1JJ 

4.6 

Ohio  

2 

2 

2  CQ 

2,OOO 

I  -JQ 

Pennsylvania 

1C 

1C 

4.,72C, 

6o,i;oo 

*» 

1,4,26 

South  Dakota  .  .  . 

2 

2 

750 

2,400 

226 

Total 45         43       13,880     $119,350        5,670 


8. — THE   CHURCH   OF   GOD   IN   CHRIST. 

This  branch  was  organized  by  John  Holdeman  in  1859. 
Holdeman  claimed  by  the  spirit  of  prophecy  "  to  under- 
stand the  foreknowledge  of  God,  to  know  mysteries,  to 
settle  difficulties,  to  keep  peace,  and  to  interpret  visions 
and  dreams."  This  branch  has  only  18  congregations, 
with  471  members.  It  is  represented  in  eight  States, 
There  are  2  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  150, 


218    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 
SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Church 
Edifices. 


Seating  Value  of  Com- 

Ca-  Church 


muni- 


pacity.  Property.  cants. 

Illinois i  . .           3 

Indiana i  . .           3 

Kansas 6  2  250  $1,400  274 

Michigan 3  i  150  200  60 

Missouri 2  . .           58 

Nebraska i  . .  ....            13 

Ohio 2  . .           38 

West  Virginia 2  . .           22 

Total 18  3  400  $1,600  471 


9. — THE  OLD  (WISLER). 

This  branch,  which  has  only  610  communicants,  consists 
of  those  who  are  opposed  to  Sunday-schools  and  evening 
meetings  and  other  practices,  which  they  regard  as  inno- 
vations. They  are  represented  by  15  congregations,  in 
Indiana,  Michigan,  and  Ohio. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Indiana 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

S^n. 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

146 

Michigan 

2 

I 

ICO 

7OO 

4.O 

Ohio  

IO 

8 

5.Q7O 

424 

Total.. 

1C. 

12 

4..  1  2O 

$8.  OK 

IO. — DER   BRUEDER-GEMEINDE. 

This  body  originated  in  Russia  half  a  century  ago,  and 
emigrated  to  this  country  in  1873-76.  They  baptize  by 
immersion  and  emphasize  the  importance  of  evidence  of 
conversion.  They  are  very  active  and  zealous  in  the  per- 
formance of  their  religious  duties.  They  are  represented 


THE  MENNONITES.  2 19 

in  Kansas,  Minnesota,  Nebraska,  and  South  Dakota  by  12 
congregations,  with  1388  communicants.  One  hall,  with  a 
seating  capacity  of  40,  is  reported. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Kansas  

5 

5 

1,650 

$4,700 

68s 

Minnesota  

2 

2 

7OO 

2,OOO 

172 

Nebraska 

2 

I    I2O 

3   QOO 

78r 

South  Dakota  

2 

2 

250 

4>3r*' 

750 

301 
150 

Total 12          ii        3,720       $11,350      1,388 

II. — THE   DEFENSELESS. 

The  Defenseless  Mennonites,  sometimes  called  Eglyites, 
are  really  a  branch  of  the  Amish.  They  lay  particular 
stress  upon  the  importance  of  conversion  and  regeneration. 
Henry  Egli  was  the  leader  of  this  movement.  It  is  repre- 
sented in  Illinois,  Indiana,  Kansas,  Missouri,  and  Ohio,  by 
9  congregations,  with  856  communicants. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Illinois  

Organi- 
zations. 

.  .  .         2 

Church 
Edifices. 

I 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

171 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Sl.OOO 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

QQ 

Indiana 

I  O2  1 

A   8?C 

46? 

Kansas 

I 

I 

27Q 

I   3OO 

I/1O 

Missouri    . 

I 

I 

I  SO 

trfic 

18 

Ohio 

.  .          2 

2 

1  y^ 

ACO 

DVJ 
2  800 

132 

Total 9  8         2,070         $10,540          856 

12. — THE    MENNONITE    BRETHREN   IN    CHRIST. 

This  body,  which  originated  about  1878,  is  Methodistic 
in  its  form  of  organization,  in  its  usages,  and  its  discipline. 


220    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

Applicants  for  baptism  are  baptized  in  any  form  they  may 
prefer.  It  has  two  annual  conferences  in  the  United  States, 
and  there  are  also  a  number  of  churches  in  Canada.  There 
are  45  churches,  with  1113  communicants.  Eight  halls, 
with  a  seating  capacity  of  660,  are  occupied  as  places  of 

worship. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Arkansas 

Organi- 
zations. 

.            I 

Church 
edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

2,050 
300 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$3,500 
500 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

35 
191 

H 
25 
49 
15 
225 

559 

Indiana 

6 

I 

2 

8 
I7# 

Iowa  

I 

Kansas 

I 

Michigan 

2 

400 
3,300 

4,575 

2,400 

6,100 
27,100 

Nebraska            .    . 

I 

Ohio 

8 

Pennsylvania  .      .  . 

22 

Total  

AC 

34X 

rES  OF 

i 
i 
23 
33 
ii 

3i 
9 
7 
7 
7 
9 
5 

60 

1  68 

15 
i 

13 

2 

10,625       $39,600 

ALL  MENNONITES. 

75           $300 
80            500 
5,960        31,850 
10,050        35,365 
2,585        13,150 
9,208        45,13° 
2,450         9,800 
i,575           5,500 
2,500           7,200 
2,080           8,565 
2,780         12,350 
960           5,200 

V3 

100 

75 
3,014 
3,732 
i,454 
4,620 

525 
356 
967 
748 
1,664 
470 
4i 
5,988 
248 
15,330 
1,383 

666 

102 

SUMMARY 
Arkansas  . 

BY  STA: 

•     •      2 

Colorado.    . 

.            I 

Illinois            .    ... 

•72 

Indiana 

CT 

Iowa 

16 

Kansas     

62 

Maryland 

Michigan  

1C 

Minnesota         .... 

Missouri    

15 

Nebraska  
New  York  . 
North  Dakota  .... 

18 
8 
i 

Ohio  .... 

77 

20,830 
700 
57,482 

2,600 

150 

6,675 

600 

77,515 
i,  600 
366,600 
11,150 
200 
10,925 
900 

Oregon      

8 

Pennsylvania  

.     188 

South  Dakota  

16 

Tennessee  

2 

Virginia  

16 

West  Virginia 
Total  .  . 

4 

mo 

4.06 

1  2Q,  14.0 

$64.1,800 

4.1,1;  4.1 

CHAPTER   XXIX. 

THE     METHODISTS. 

METHODISM,  which  counts  many  branches  in  Great 
Britain,  America,  and  elsewhere,  is  the  result  of  a  move- 
ment begun  at  Oxford  University,  England,  as  early  as 
1729,  by  John  and  Charles  Wesley.  Their  own  account 
of  its  origin  is  given  in  these  words : 

"  In  1729  two  young  men  in  England,  reading  the  Bible, 
saw  they  could  not  be  saved  without  h  )liness,  followed  after 
it,  and  incited  others  so  to  do.  In  1737  they  saw  likewise 
that  men  are  justified  before  they  aie  sanctified,  but  still 
holiness  was  their  object.  God  then  thrust  them  out  to 
raise  a  holy  people." 

The  Wesleys,  with  two  others,  began  to  meet  together 
at  Oxford  for  religious  exercises  in  1 7  29.  In  derision  they 
were  called  the  "Holy  Club,"  "Bibli:  Bigots,"  "Method- 
ists," etc.  The  last  term  was  intended  to  describe  their 
methodical  habits,  and  it  seems  to  have  been  accepted  by 
them  almost  immediately,  as  the  movement  they  led  was 
soon  widely  known  as  the  Methodist  movement. 

John  and  Charles  Wesley  and  George  Whitefield  were 
ordained  ministers  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  it  was 
as  Church  of  England  clergymen  that  they  began  and 
carried  forward  their  stirring  evangelistic  work.  Being 
excluded,  as  preachers  of  "new  doctrines,"  from  many 
of  the  pulpits  of  the  Established  Chi<rch,  they  held  meet- 

221 


222     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 

ings  in  private  houses,  halls,  barns,  and  fields,  receiving 
many  converts,  who  were  organized  into  societies  for 
worship.  As  their  work  expanded  they  introduced  an 
order  of  lay  preachers  and  established  class-meetings  for 
the  religious  care  and  training  of  members.  In  1744  the 
first  conference  was  held,  and  thereafter  Wesley  and  his 
helpers  met  together  annually.  Thus  was  organized  the 
annual  conference,  one  of  the  distinctive  institutions  of 
Methodism.  Wesley  grouped  together  several  appoint- 
ments and  put  them  in  charge  of  one  of  his  helpers.  This 
was  the  beginning  of  the  circuit  system.  He  then  con- 
ceived the  idea  of  increasing  the  efficiency  of  his  preachers 
by  frequent  changes  in  their  appointments.  This  is  how 
the  itinerancy  came  into  existence.  The  itinerancy  is 
maintained  in  nearly  all  the  branches  of  Methodism 
throughout  the  world,  though  it  has  been  greatly  modi- 
fied in  many  cases. 

Though  the  Wesleyan  movement  was  a  movement  within 
the  Church  of  England,  and  the  Wesleys  lived  and  died 
in  full  ministerial  relations  with  it,  serious  differences  arose 
between  the  Church  and  the  Methodists.  In  1745  John 
Wesley  wrote  that  he  was  willing  to  make  any  concession 
which  conscience  would  permit,  in  order  to  live  in  harmony 
with  the  clergy  of  the  Established  Church,  but  he  could  not, 
he  said,  give  up  the  doctrines  he  was  preaching,  dissolve 
the  societies,  suppress  lay  preaching,  or  cease  to  preach  in 
the  open  air.  For  many  years  he  refused  to  sanction  the 
administration  of  the  sacraments  by  any  except  those  who 
had  been  ordained  by  a  bishop  in  the  apostolic  succession, 
and  he  himself  hesitated  to  assume  authority  to  ordain ; 
but  the  Bishop  of  London  having  refused  to  ordain  min- 
isters for  the  Methodist  societies  in  America,  which  were 


THE  METHODISTS.  223 

left  by  the  Revolutionary  War  without  the  sacraments, 
Wesley,  in  1784,  by  the  imposition  of  hands,  appointed 
or  ordained  men  and  gave  them  authority  to  ordain  others. 
He  ordained  Thomas  Coke,  LL.D.,  who  was  already  a 
presbyter  of  the  Church  of  England,  to  be  superintendent 
of  the  Methodist  societies  in  America,  and  set  apart  for 
a  similar  purpose  in  Great  Britain  Alexander  Mather,  who 
had  not  been  episcopally  ordained.  In  England,  Method- 
ism continued  to  be  a  non- ecclesiastical  religious  move- 
ment within  the  Church  of  England  till  after  John  Wesley's 
death,  March  2,  1791.  In  America  the  separation  took 
place  several  years  previous  to  that  event. 

The  peculiarities  of  Methodism  are:  (i)  The  probation- 
ary system,  by  which  converts  are  received  for  six  months 
or  more  on  trial ;  if  the  test  results  favorably,  they  are  then 
taken  into  "  full  connection,"  and  have  all  the  rights  and 
privileges  of  full  members.  (2)  The  class-meeting.  The 
members  and  probationers  of  each  church  are  divided  into 
companies  called  classes,  and  meet  under  the  care  of  a 
leader  for  prayer,  testimony,  and  spiritual  examination 
and  advice.  (3)  Exhorters.  Members  licensed  to  hold 
meetings  for  prayer  and  exhortation.  (4)  Local  preachers. 
Laymen  adjudged  to  have  "  gifts,  graces,  and  usefulness  " 
sufficient  to  justify  the  issuance  of  a  license,  subject  to 
annual  renewal,  to  preach  as  occasion  offers,  without  giv- 
ing up  their  secular  business ;  they  may  also  be  ordained 
as  deacons  and  elders.  (5)  The  itinerancy.  There  are 
rules  requiring  the  bishop  or  a  conference  committee  to 
station  the  regular  ministers  every  year,  and  limiting  the 
pastoral  term  to  a  fixed  period.  In  the  English  Wesleyan 
Church  it  is  three  years;  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  in  the  United  States  it  is  five  years,  having  been 


224    REUGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

successively  advanced  from  two  to  three  and  from  three 
to  five.  No  paste  >r  can  serve  the  same  church  or  circuit 
in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  more  than  five  years 
successively,  nor  <:an  he  be  returned  to  it  until  after  the 
expiration  of  another  period  of  five  years.  (6)  Presiding 
elders.  In  most  American  Methodist  branches,  each  an- 
nual conference  is  divided  into  districts,  two  or  more,  and 
a  presiding  elder  placed  over  each.  His  duty  is  to  travel 
over  his  district,  preside  at  quarterly  conferences  in  each 
charge,  report  to  the  annual  conference,  and  assist  the 
presiding  bishop  in  making  out  the  list  of  appointments 
each  year.  His  term  of  office  is  limited  in  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  to  six  years.  (7)  Bishops.  The  Epis- 
copal branches  rave  bishops,  elected  by  the  general  con- 
ference for  life.  They  ordain  ministers,  preside  over  the 
annual  conferences  and  at  the  general  conference,  and  sta- 
tion the  ministers,  with  the  advice  of  the  presiding  elders ; 
they  are  itinerant  and  general,  not  diocesan,  officers. 

Methodism  also  has  a  system  of  conferences:  (i)  The 
quarterly  conference  is  held  four  times  a  year  in  each 
church.  It  is  composed  of  the  pastor,  local  preachers, 
trustees,  stewards,  class  leaders,  and  other  church  officers. 
(2)  The  annual  conference  consists  of  all  the  itinerant 
preachers  (and  in  some  branches  of  representatives  of  the 
churches)  within  its  bounds.  It  examines  the  characters 
of  the  ministeis,  elects  candidates  to  deacon's  and  elder's 
orders,  and  transacts  various  other  business.  (3)  The  gen- 
eral conference,  composed  of  representatives,  clerical  and 
lay,  from  the  various  annual  conferences,  meets  once  in 
four  years.  It  is  the  chief  legislative  and  judicial  court. 
It  elects  bishops  and  other  general  officers,  creates  new 


THE  METHODISTS.  22$ 

conferences,  changes  conference  boundaries,  and  controls 
the  administration  of  the  general  and  benevolent  interests 
of  the  church.  In  some  branches  a  district  conference  is 
also  provided  for.  It  is  composed  of  the  pastors  and  rep- 
resentatives of  the  churches  of  a  district,  the  presiding  elder 
being  the  chairman. 

In  theology,  Methodism,  excepting  the  Welsh  branch,  is 
Arminian.  Most  of  the  American  branches  have  adopted 
as  their  doctrinal  symbol  "Articles  of  Religion,"  twenty- 
five  in  number,  prepared  by  John  Wesley  from  the  Thirty- 
nine  Articles  of  the  Church  of  England.  In  common  with 
other  Arminian  bodies,  Methodists  emphasize  the  doctrine 
of  the  freedom  of  the  will  and  universal  atonement,  and 
deny  the  Calvinistic  ideas  of  predestination  and  reproba- 
tion. Their  more  distinctive  doctrines  are  those  which  Wes- 
ley revived,  restated,  and  specially  emphasized,  namely: 
(i)  present  personal  salvation  by  faith;  (2)  the  witness 
of  the  Spirit;  (3)  sanctification.  Upon  the  latter  point 
Wesley  taught  that  sanctification  is  obtainable  instantane- 
ously, between  justification  and  death,  and  that  it  is  not 
"  sinless  perfection,"  but  perfection  in  love,  so  that  those 
who  possess  it  "  feel  no  sin,  nothing  but  love." 

There  are  seventeen  branches  of  Methodism,  as  follows : 

1.  Methodist  Episcopal,  9.  Methodist  Episcopal,  South, 

2.  Union  American  Meth.  Epis.>  10.  Congregational, 

3.  African  Meth.  Epis.,  n.  Congregational,  Colored, 

4.  African  Union  Meth.  Prot,  12.  New  Congregational, 

5.  African  Meth.  Epis.  Zion,  13.  Colored  Meth.  Epis., 

6.  Zion  Union  Apostolic,  14.  Primitive, 

7.  Methodist  Protestant,  15.  Free, 

8.  Wesleyan  Methodist,  16.  Independent, 

17.  Evangelist  Missionary. 


226    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

I. — THE   METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

Though  John  and  Charles  Wesley  crossed  the  ocean  in 
1735  and  labored  in  Georgia,  the  latter  about  one  year, 
the  former  two  years,  the  beginnings  of  Methodism  in  this 
country  are  dated  from  1 766,  in  New  York  and  Maryland. 
In  that  year  a  Wesleyan  local  preacher  from  Ireland,  Philip 
Embury,  gathered  a  few  Methodists  in  the  lower  part  of 
New  York  City  for  regular  worship.  Robert  Strawbridge, 
likewise  a  Wesleyan  local  preacher  and  Irish  immigrant, 
preached  to  a  small  number  of  people  in  Frederick  County, 
Md.,  at  about  the  same  time.  The  first  meetings  in  New 
York  were  held  in  Mr.  Embury's  house ;  then  they  were 
transferred  to  a  sail-loft,  and  in  1 768  an  edifice  was  erected 
at  a  cost  of  $3000.  This  was  the  first  Methodist  church 
in  the  United  States.  Its  site  in  John  Street  is  still  occu- 
pied by  a  Methodist  edifice.  Captain  Thomas  Webb  of  the 
British  Army  was  an  efficient  colaborer  with  Mr.  Embury. 
Mr.  John  Wesley  sent  over  two  missionaries  in  1 769,  Rich- 
ard Boardman  and  Joseph  Pilmoor,  to  assist  in  the  work  of 
establishing  Methodism  in  this  country.  Seven  others  sub- 
sequently arrived.  Two  became  Presbyterians,  and  only 
one,  Francis  Asbury,  remained  through  the  Revolutionary 
War. 

The  first  annual  conference  was  held  in  Philadelphia  in 
1773,  Thomas  Rankin,  one  of  Wesley's  missionaries,  pre- 
siding. At  the  close  of  1 784  a  general  conference  met  in 
Baltimore,  December  24th,  and  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  was  formally  organized.  This  was  in  accordance 
with  the  plan  of  John  Wesley  himself.  The  societies  had 
increased,  and  the  number  of  members  had  swelled  from 
1 1 60  in  1773  to  14,988,  notwithstanding  the  adverse  influ- 


THE  METHODISTS.  227 

ences  of  the  Revolutionary  War;  and  these  societies  were 
without  an  ordained  ministry  and  consequently  without  the 
sacraments  during  the  period  of  the  war,  the  clergy  of  the 
Church  of  England,  from  whom  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
Supper  had  previously  been  received,  having  in  many  cases 
left  their  parishes.  Representations  being  made  to  Mr. 
Wesley  concerning  the  condition  of  the  Methodist  societies, 
he  set  apart  Dr.  Thomas  Coke,  a  presbyter  of  the  Church 
of  England,  to  be  superintendent  of  the  societies,  and  sent 
with  him  to  America  Francis  Asbury  and  two  others, 
directing  him  to  organize  the  societies  into  a  separate 
ecclesiastical  body,  and  to  have  Asbury  associated  with 
him  in  the  office  of  superintendent. 

When  the  conference  was  assembled  in  Baltimore  a 
letter  from  Mr.  Wesley  was  read,  stating  that  he  had 
"  appointed  Dr.  Coke  and  Mr.  Francis  Asbury  to  be  joint- 
superintendents  over  our  brethren  in  North  America,  as 
also  Richard  Whatcoat  and  Thomas  Vasey  to  act  as  elders 
among  them  by  baptizing  and  ministering  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per"; that  he  had  prepared  a  liturgy  to  be  used  by  the 
traveling  preachers ;  and  that  as  "  our  American  brethren 
are  now  totally  disentangled  both  from  the  State  and  from 
the  English  hierarchy,"  he  dared  not "  entangle  them  again, 
either  with  the  one  or  with  the  other.  They  are  now,"  he 
added,  "  at  full  liberty  simply  to  follow  the  Scriptures  and 
the  Primitive  Church." 

The  conference  then  proceeded  to  "  form  a  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,"  electing  both  Coke  and  Asbury  as 
superintendents  or  bishops.  Asbury  was  successively 
ordained  deacon,  elder,  and  bishop.  The  order  of  wor- 
ship and  Articles  of  Religion  prepared  by  Mr.  Wesley 
were  adopted,  his  rules  and  discipline  were  revised  and 


228     RELIGIOUS  FORCES   OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 

accepted,  a  number  of  preachers  were  ordained,  and  the 
work  of  the  conference  was  completed.  The  constitution 
of  the  church  is  generally  held  to  consist  of  the  general 
rules  of  conduct  prepared  by  Mr.  Wesley,  the  Articles  of 
Religion,  and  six  Restrictive  Rules,  limiting  the  powers 
of  the  general  conference,  which  is  the  supreme  legislative 
body  and  the  final  court.  The  general  conference  elects 
bishops,  who  hold  office  for  life  or  during  good  behavior, 
and  who  preside  over  its  sessions,  but  have  no  vote  or  veto 
in  its  proceedings.  They  are  not  diocesan,  but  general 
and  itinerant,  visiting  and  presiding  over  the  annual  con- 
ferences successively,  and  appointing,  with  the  aid  and 
advice  of  the  presiding  elders,  the  preachers  to  the  pas- 
torates. 

The  progress  of  Methodism  in  the  new  and  growing 
nation  was  extremely  rapid.  Bishop  Asbury  (Dr.  Coke 
returned  after  a  few  years  to  England),  who  had  large 
organizing  and  administrative  power,  was  intensely  active 
in  extending  the  work  as  an  evangelistic  movement.  He 
changed  his  preachers  frequently,  appointed  them  to  large 
circuits  including  several  appointments,  and  raised  up  a 
body  of  class  leaders,  exhorters,  local  and  itinerant  preach- 
ers, by  whom  the  gospel  was  propagated  with  great  suc- 
cess. In  1800  Richard  Whatcoat  was  elected  to  the  bish- 
opric, and  in  1808  William  McKendree  also,  the  latter 
being  the  first  native  American  to  occupy  that  office.  In 
the  conference  of  1808  a  plan  was  adopted  providing  for  a 
general  conference  to  be  composed  of  delegates  elected  by 
the  annual  conferences,  and  to  meet  once  every  four  years. 
In  1812,  when  the  first  delegated  general  conference  was 
held,  there  were  upward  of  195,000  communicants.  In 
1872  lay  delegates  appeared  for  the  first  time  in  the  gen- 


THE  METHODISTS. 


229 


eral  conference.  Though  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
has  suffered  heavy  losses  at  various  times  by  secessions 
and  divisions,  it  has  grown  very  rapidly,  and  is  by  far  the 
most  numerous  Methodist  body  in  the  world.  It  has  in 
this  country  102  annual  conferences,  besides  12  in  mission 
fields  in  Europe,  Asia,  Africa,  and  Mexico,  with  missions 
in  South  America,  Korea,  and  other  countries. 

It  is  represented  in  all  the  States  and  Territories,  except- 
ing Alaska.  In  the  following  States  it  has  congregations  in 
every  county: 


No.  of 
counties. 

Connecticut 8 

Delaware 3 

Illinois 102 

Indiana 92 

Iowa 99 

Kansas 106 

Maine 16 

Maryland 24 

Massachusetts 14 


No.  pt 
counties. 

Montana 16 

New  Hampshire 10 

New  Jersey 21 

New  York 60 

Ohio 88 

Pennsylvania 67 

Rhode  Island 5 

Vermont 14 


Of  the  2790  counties  in  the  various  States  and  Terri- 
tories, it  has  organizations  in  all  save  585.  This  number 
is  made  up  chiefly  of  counties  in  the  South  where  confer- 
ences of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  were  not  formed 
after  1844,  when  the  division  occurred  which  resulted  in 
the  organization  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South, 
until  the  close  of  the  late  war.  In  the  States  of  Alabama, 
Arkansas,  Florida,  Georgia,  Kentucky,  Louisiana,  Missis- 
sippi, North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Tennessee,  Texas, 
and  Virginia,  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  is  in 
fuller  occupancy  than  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

The  total  of  communicants,  including  both  members  and 


230    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

probationers  (but  not  itinerant  ministers),  is  2,240,354. 
The  total  of  organizations  is  25,861,  and  there  are  22,844 
church  edifices,  with  an  aggregate  seating  capacity  of 
6,302,708,  and  a  total  valuation  of  $96,723,408.  In  ad- 
dition to  the  church  edifices,  there  are  2873  halls,  etc., 
with  a  seating  capacity  of  275,444,  used  as  places  of  wor- 
ship. The  average  seating  capacity  of  the  churches  is  276, 
and  the  average  value  $4234. 

An  examination  of  the  table  by  States  shows  that  the 
largest  number  of  communicants  in  any  one  State  is  to  be 
found  in  New  York,  242,492 ;  Ohio  comes  second,  with 
240,650;  Pennsylvania  third,  with  222,886;  Illinois  fourth, 
with  165,191;  and  Indiana  fifth,  with  162,989.  There 
are  six  States  in  which  there  are  more  than  100,000  mem- 
bers, and  six  other  States  in  which  the  number  is  more 
than  50,000.  In  the  number  of  organizations  and  church 
edifices  Ohio  leads  and  New  York  stands  second.  Of 
the  1 02  annual  conferences,  not  including  n  missions,  the 
largest  numerically  is  the  Philadelphia  conference,  which 
is  also  the  oldest.  The  Philadelphia  conference  reports 
61,645  communicants.  The  East  Ohio  comes  second,  with 
59,666;  the  Ohio  third,  with  58,089;  the  New  York  East 
fourth,  with  55,724;  and  the  New  York  fifth,  with  53,644. 
There  are  7  conferences  which  have  50,000  and  upward 
each,  and  30  which  have  between  25,000  and  50,000. 

The  lines  of  these  conferences  do  not  correspond  with 
those  of  the  States.  The  New  York  East  conference,  for 
example,  includes  parts  of  New  York,  Connecticut,  and 
New  Jersey ;  the  Troy  conference  includes  appointments 
in  New  York,  Massachusetts,  and  Vermont ;  the  Wilming- 
ton conference,  in  Delaware,  Maryland,  and  Virginia ;  the 
Baltimore  conference,  in  Maryland,  Pennsylvania,  Virginia, 


THE  METHODISTS.  231 

West  Virginia,  and  the  District  of  Columbia.  The  con- 
ferences are  not  arranged  on  a  plan  similar  to  that  of  dio- 
ceses in  the  Protestant  Episcopal  and  the  Roman  Catholic 
churches.  Each  diocese  occupies  its  own  territory  exclu- 
sively ;  but  the  same  territory  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  is  often  covered  by  different  conferences.  For 
example,  there  are  white  conferences,  in  which  the  Eng- 
lish language  is  spoken,  and  there  are  German,  Swedish, 
and  other  conferences  having  foreign  constituencies,  which 
cover  parts  of  the  same  territory.  The  Northwest  Swed- 
ish conference  covers  portions  of  Illinois,  Indiana,  Iowa, 
Kansas,  Michigan,  Minnesota,  Missouri,  Nebraska,  New 
York,  Pennsylvania,  and  Wisconsin.  The  Norwegian  and 
Danish  conference  covers  portions  of  the  same  territory. 
So,  also,  do  the  St.  Louis  German,  the  West  German,  the 
Northwest  German,  the  Chicago  German,  and  the  follow- 
ing English-speaking  conferences :  Rock  River,  St.  Louis, 
Upper  Iowa,  West  Nebraska,  West  Wisconsin,  Wisconsin, 
Northwest  Indiana,  Northwest  Iowa,  Northwest  Kansas, 
Central  Illinois,  Central  Missouri,  Des  Moines,  Detroit, 
Illinois,  Iowa,  Kansas,  Minnesota,  and  Nebraska.  White 
English-speaking  conferences  are  also  overlapped  in  many 
States  by  conferences  composed  of  colored  members. 

In  the  German  conferences  and  missions  there  are  928 
organizations,  with  57,105  communicants;  in  the  Scan- 
dinavian, 308  organizations  and  17,820  communicants. 
There  are  also  25  Spanish  organizations,  with  1475  mem- 
bers, and  congregations  of  Bohemians,  Finns,  Portuguese, 
French,  Italians,  Welsh,  Chinese,  and  Japanese. 


232     RELIGIOUS  FORCES   OF   THE    UNITED   STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 

Church 
rxlinccs. 

Seating 
Ca- 

Value of 
Church 

Com- 
muni- 

zations. 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

Alabama  

318 

289 

72,580 

$248,300 

18,517 

Arizona  

12 

ii 

3,55° 

46,100 

320 

Arkansas  

226 

167 

38,243 

162,360 

10,076 

California  

337 

3o6X 

93,110 

2,053,371 

25,527 

Colorado  

90 

77 

23,3H 

931,900 

8,560 

Connecticut  

219 

217 

67,527 

2,123,380 

29,411 

Delaware  

187 

1  88 

49,455 

956,300 

20,412 

Dist.  of  Columbia 

30 

29 

20,450 

772,500 

9,630 

Florida  

117 

105 

22,620 

219,000 

5,739 

Georgia  

320 

302 

73,415 

255,940 

25,400 

Idaho  

3i 

26 

5,225 

69,200 

941 

Illinois  

i,903 

1,779 

523,698 

7,046,785 

165,191 

Indiana  

1,618 

i,585 

453,035 

4,243,180 

162,989 

Indian  Territory  . 

32 

15 

3,925 

9,750 

838 

Iowa  

1,342 

1,215 

317,406 

3,344,245 

111,426 

Kansas  

1,249 

734 

179,230 

1,912,015 

83,288 

Kentucky  

435 

34iX 

77,400 

762,090 

29,172 

Louisiana  

218 

191 

39,5oo 

303,302 

15,073 

Maine  

355 

290 

87,301 

1,152,875 

22,996 

Maryland  

925 

887 

234,856 

3,771,717 

82,069 

Massachusetts  .  .  . 

394 

383 

153,722 

5,180,825 

58,477 

Michigan  

1,085 

894 

250,747 

3,739,850 

86,958 

Minnesota  

534 

424 

92,400 

1,725,843 

30,837 

Mississippi  

398 

388 

81,038 

245,624 

3i,H2 

Missouri  

905 

742 

199,044 

1,835,840 

58,285 

Montana  

48 

39 

8,535 

159,850 

1,901 

Nebraska  

649 

461 

112,603 

1,242,200 

41,086 

Nevada  

12 

12 

2,700 

78,800 

418 

New  Hampshire  . 

134 

I29 

40,505 

614,350 

12,354 

New  Jersey  

579 

554X 

185,485 

5,009,075 

82,955 

New  Mexico  

32 

21 

4,625 

71,200 

1,750 

New  York  

2,123 

2,038 

614,501 

16,944,350 

242,492 

North  Carolina  .  . 

287 

238 

64,487 

195,645 

i6,433 

North  Dakota  .  .  . 

131 

61 

II,IOO 

139,985 

4,804 

Ohio  

2,340 

2,296 

685,319 

8,749,970 

240,650 

Oklahoma  

36 

13 

3,100 

21,400 

1,224 

Oregon  

203 

150 

34,430 

614,625 

9,436 

Pennsylvania  .... 

2,042 

i,93i 

595,734 

12,642,104 

222,886 

Rhode  Island  .... 

39 

37 

16,835 

495,000 

6,064 

South  Carolina  .  . 

335 

337 

81,810 

292,235 

43,200 

South  Dakota  .  .  . 

254 

140 

3i,674 

375,260 

n,37i 

Tennessee  

609 

549 

146,470 

665,460 

42,873 

Texas  

407 

346 

73>79° 

592,835 

27,453 

THE  METHODISTS. 


233 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. — Continued. 


STATES. 

Organ! 

zations 

-      Church 

FHifir—; 

Seating 
Ca- 

Value of 
Church 

Com- 
muni- 

nuinccs. 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

Utah  

31 

29 

6,205 

$223,650 

1,048 

Vermont  

228 

195 

55^51 

758,800 

17,268 

Virginia  

316 

271 

42,925 

329,144 

16,764 

Washington  

200 

146 

37,230 

652,425 

11,592 

West  Virginia  .  .  . 

827 

629# 

146,900 

902,153 

48,925 

Wisconsin  

706 

623 

134,913 

1,791,900 

41,360 

Wyoming  

13 

II 

2,IOX) 

48,700 

773 

Total  

25,86l 

22,844 

6,302,708 

$96,723,408 

2,240,354 

SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES. 

CONFERENCES. 

Alabama  

171 

151^ 

32,845 

$128,800 

7,455 

Arkansas  

134 

95 

26,200 

II4,22O 

6,295 

Austin  

33 

25 

6,605 

219,900 

1,485 

Baltimore  

411 

403 

137,966 

3,221,060 

4i,i95 

Blue  Ridge  

172 

130 

42,930 

77,850 

7,492 

California  

195 

183 

55,450 

1,263,321 

14,429 

California  Germ  an 

Mission  

16 

16 

3,610 

121,400 

829 

Central  Alabama  . 

153 

H3 

4i,U5 

130,360 

n,3i7 

Central  German.  . 

177 

176^ 

38,370 

771,000 

H,39i 

Central  Illinois.  .  . 

412 

384^ 

103,147 

1,148,700 

29,754 

Central  Missouri  . 

158 

136 

35,305 

177,580 

8,559 

Central  New  York 
Central  Ohio  

408 

308 
396K 

95,375 
118,235 

1,662,650 
1,260,250 

35,59i 
38,893 

Central    Pennsyl- 

vania   

581 

530 

152,200 

2,319,495 

50,773 

Central  Tennessee 

136 

120 

28,725 

97,435 

5,584 

Chicago  German. 

122 

H5 

21,890 

369,400 

7,873 

Cincinnati  

37i 

369 

113,660 

2,057,200 

46,188 

Colorado  

85 

73 

22,614 

903,900 

8,325 

Columbia  River.  . 

132 

84 

19,845 

254,250 

5,792 

Dakota  

201 

119 

27,794 

325,200 

9,774 

Delaware  

236 

228 

50,534 

3J5,97o 

16,877 

Des  Moines  

392 

355 

96,010 

965,900 

36,927 

Detroit  

495 

402^ 

118,750 

1,920,600 

40,189 

East  German  .... 

61 

62 

17,085 

589,900 

5,239 

East  Maine  

190 

141* 

42,105 

471,150 

10,444 

East  Ohio  

539 

535 

160,510 

2,385,700 

59,666 

East  Tennessee  .  . 

77 

70 

12,300 

105,900 

4,235 

Erie  

414 

410^ 

114,014 

1,487,314 

36,796 

234    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES. — Continued. 


CONFERENCES. 

Florida  
Genesee  

Organi- 
zations. 

67 
072 

Church 
Edifices. 

69 

356j< 

Searing 
Ca- 
pacity. 

14,700 

08.  oo5 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$86,365 
2,o8o.  I5O 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

4,425 
3A  Q4.6 

Georgia  

88 

87 

I  5.OOO 

53  35O 

J^-,y*fw 
•3   ej.7 

Holston  

308 

274. 

83.271; 

003^ 

368  Q25 

j,3^-/ 
24.  4.IQ 

•2J 

26 

5  .000 

<ju,y^3 

66  ooo 

I   173 

Illinois  

coy 

C-3Q 

156.813 

I  657  775 

52  O34. 

Indiana    

4.24. 

Djy 
4.08 

*3W*J 

T22.  4.25 

858  650 

3^,yo^- 

4.1  4.24. 

Indian  Mission  .  .  . 
Iowa     

68 

•2  -1C 

28 

•3  T  I 

7,025 

8;  661; 

31,150 
725  4.OO 

2,062 
25  O5Q 

Kansas  

24.2 

2O  I 

"3>wv/j 

54.810 

654..  I5O 

*J>^J7 

21   534. 

Kentucky    

•3  -3  -3 

24Q  /-£ 

56,01  5 

4.76.71  5 

•*'I,JJT- 
2O  653 

Lexington  .      .    . 

ici 

1-3.7 

33,785 

286.125 

•6V,VOO 
IO  4.37 

Little  Rock 

Q2 

72 

12,04.3 

4.8,  I  AO 

3.78l 

Louisiana        .... 

216 

1  80 

3Q,o6o 

2O6,IO2 

14.  01  1 

Maine  
Michigan 

171 

54O 

153 

445  1A 

jy,«^v, 
46,326 
122,327 

697,225 
I,7OI,OOO 

12,689 
A3.  808 

Minnesota      .    .  . 

f^r' 

378 

•3.OO 

70,570 

1,34.0.64.3 

23.768 

Mississippi  

IQC 

102 

4.8.O23 

I24..3IO 

Id.  860 

Missouri    

*yj 
328 

*•?" 
282 

74.,  860 

4.53.875 

IQ.7QQ 

Montana  

51 

42 

O,26o 

l65,35O 

I.QQI 

Nebraska     

IQC 

106 

50,4.03 

567,250 

IQ.22O 

Newark  
New  England  .  .  . 
New  England, 
Southern  
New  Hampshire  . 
New  Jersey  

299 
246 

2O7 

139 
3O3 

276^ 

238 

203 
136 

300 

89,045 
102,891 

67,288 

44,765 
IOI,87O 

3,067,575 
3,989,175 

1,653,200 
748,850 
2,l8l,OOO 

42,198 
40,884 

24,371 

H,335 

44,4.88 

New  York  

466 

JW 

4.24.5^ 

I3I,6o8 

4.,73I,  QOO 

53i6>M 

New  York  East  .  . 
North  Carolina  .  . 
North  Dakota  .  .  . 
Northern  German 
Northern       New 
York  

325 
H5 
117 
III 

312 

327 

1  08 
59 

85K 

302 

H7,343 

21,557 
10,650 
12,800 

85,205 

5,609,380 

H7,795 
136,185 
257,950 

1,300,650 

55,724 
8,941 

4,509 
4,643 

27,540 

North  Indiana  .  .  . 
North  Nebraska  .  . 
North  Ohio  
Northwest      Ger- 
man   
North  west  Indiana 
Northwest  Iowa  .  . 
Northwest  Kansas 

463 
117 

323 

94 
343 
1  80 

329 

452 

112 

318 

56^ 

\ll 
112 

I3i,3i5 
25,205 
98,979 

9,160 
89,720 
41,440 
25,495 

1,291,500 
395,650 
1,177,880 

130,850 
977,030 
469,800 
228,7QO 

47,144 
9,481 

30,435 

4,371 
33,167 
16,292 
13,902 

THE  METHODISTS. 


235 


SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES. — Continued. 


CONFERENCES. 

Organi- 

Church 

-17  j*£_  _  _ 

Searing 
Ca- 

Value of 
Church 

Com- 
muni- 

zations. 

rxiinces. 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

Northwest    Swed- 

ish   

144 

116 

27,675 

$397,100 

9,236 

Norwegian      and 

Danish  

93 

63 

14,320 

173,600 

4,782 

Ohio  

588 

570 

167,985 

1,453,340 

58,089 

Oregon  

131 

96 

24,915 

488,625 

7,051 

Philadelphia   ,  .    . 

37i 

374 

156,921 

5,014,220 

61,645 

Pittsburg  

353 

345 

101,639 

2,619,150 

45,485 

Puget  Sound  .... 

97 

78 

19,875 

368,125 

6,615 

Rock  River  

337 

324^ 

115,529 

2,946,400 

38,674 

Saint  John  River. 

43 

30 

6,33° 

121,125 

1,034 

Saint  Louis  

359 

260 

77,225 

945,185 

24,543 

Saint  Louis   Ger- 

man   

161 

154 

31,760 

491,490 

11,100 

Savannah  

232 

215 

58,415 

202,590 

21,853 

South  Carolina  .  . 

335 

337 

81,810 

292,235 

43,200 

Southeast  Indiana 

3°4 

303^ 

9i»575 

884,450 

35,038 

Southern   Califor- 

nia   

114 

94X 

31,700 

633,650 

9,836 

Southern  Illinois. 

405 

388 

112,110 

637,310 

30,322 

Southern  German 

42 

36K 

6,800 

72,700 

2,470 

South  Kansas  .  .  . 

306 

206>£ 

51,210 

429,375 

22,800 

Southwest  Kansas 

289 

160 

37,050 

490,700 

21,899 

Tennessee  

H5 

112 

26,620 

129,850 

10,065 

Texas  

238 

197 

40,340 

202,005 

H,53i 

Troy  
Upper  Iowa  

355 
3i7 

339 
289^ 

104,006 

77,320 

2,417,525 
970,455 

43,578 
27,493 

Upper  Mississippi 

202 

195 

32,955 

120,505 

16,265 

Vermont  

177 

148 

42,510 

496,600 

12,621 

Virginia  

202 

i58K 

24,725 

116,100 

8,718 

Washington  

324 

311 

66,930 

870,522 

32,976 

West  German  .  .  . 

126 

96K 

16,669 

265,650 

5,554 

West  Nebraska  .  . 

274 

104^ 

19,425 

175,100 

9,743 

West  Texas 

95 

89 

20,245 

97,730 

8,932 

West  Virginia  .  .  . 

740 

533^ 

130,500 

702,375 

42,795 

West  Wisconsin  . 

336 

268 

55,879 

655,550 

i6,345 

Wilmington  

376 

372 

89,731 

1,510,837 

35,592 

Wisconsin  

234 

234 

58,014 

886,200 

17,702 

Wyoming  

4i3 

360 

93,820 

1,657,150 

38,73i 

236    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  MISSIONS. 


MISSIONS. 

Arizona     

Organi- 
zations. 

12 

Church 
Edifices. 

1  1 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

•2,  CCQ 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$4.6,  IOO 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

32O 

Black  Hills  

2^ 

17 

3,  CCQ 

4.7  ,  060 

871 

Nevada  

2C 

26 

C.OQO 

Il6,8oo 

878 

New  Mexico  Eng- 
lish   
New  Mexico  Span- 
ish 

10 
2C 

8 

1C 

1,900 

3,221; 

42,000 
38,700 

540 

1,4.71 

North  Pacific  Ger- 
man   
Northwest  Norwe- 
gian and  Danish 
Utah    .  .      . 

18 

17 
•54. 

17 
13 

•22 

2,850 
2,675 

6,730 

52,750 

87,500 
228,Ii;o 

635 

548 
1,  066 

Wyoming  

13 

II 

2,190 

48,700 

773 

Total 25,861  22,844    6,302,708  $96,723,4082,240,354 


2. — THE    UNION   AMERICAN    METHODIST   EPISCOPAL 
CHURCH. 

This  is  a  body  of  colored  Methodists  having  the  same 
general  doctrines  and  usages  as  other  branches  of  Method- 
ism. It  was  organized  in  1813  in  Wilmington,  Del.,  by  a 
number  of  colored  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  led  by  Rev.  Peter  Spencer,  a  colored  preacher. 

The  church  has  42  organizations,  with  35  church  edifices, 
valued  at  $187,600,  and  2279  communicants;  2  halls,  with 
a  seating  capacity  of  250,  are  occupied  as  places  of  wor- 
ship. There  are"  three  annual  conferences,  with  two  general 
superintendents  or  bishops,  who  are  elected  for  life. 


THE  METHODISTS. 


237 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Connecticut    . 

Organi- 
zations. 

I 

Church 
Edifices. 

I 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

•JCQ 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$2.OOO 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

80 

Delaware     . 

8 

7 

& 

2.OSO 

C7.COO 

CQ7 

Maryland    

I,  COO 

6.AOO 

124. 

Mississippi      .  .  .  . 

i 

2OO 

2,OOO 

80 

New  Jersey  

6 

6 

1,725 

14.,  7OO 

185 

New  York     

7 

Q7C 

77,4.00 

^88 

Pennsylvania  .  .  .  . 

16 

12 

4,3OO 

6?,  800 

765 

Rhode  Island 

i 

3OO 

1,  800 

CO 

Total 


42       35        11,500       $187,600       2,279 


CONFERENCES. 


SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES. 


Eastern  District.  . 

Mississippi 

Southern  District 


Total 


13 
i 

28 


ii 

i 

23 


3,350 

200 
7,950 


$55,900 

2,000 

129,700 


803 

80 

1,396 


42   35   11,500   $187,600   2,279 


3. — THE   AFRICAN    METHODIST   EPISCOPAL   CHURCH. 

This  branch  of  American  Methodism  was  organized  in 
Philadelphia  in  1816  by  a  number  of  colored  members  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  They  withdrew  from  the 
parent  body  in  order  that  they  might  have  larger  privi- 
leges and  more  freedom  of  action  among  themselves  than 
they  believed  they  could  secure  in  continued  association 
with  their  white  brethren.  The  Rev.  Richard  Allen  was 
elected  the  first  bishop  of  the  new  church  by  the  same 
convention  that  organized  it.  In  the  year  1787  Mr.  Allen 
had  been  made  the  leader  of  a  class  of  forty  persons  of  his 
own  color.  A  few  years  later  he  purchased  a  lot  at  the 
corner  of  Sixth  and  Lombard  Streets,  Philadelphia,  where 


238     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

the  first  church  erected  in  this  country  for  colored  Method- 
ists was  occupied  in  1 794.  This  site  is  now  covered  by 
an  edifice,  dedicated  in  1890,  valued  at  $50,000. 

In  doctrine,  government,  and  usage  the  church  does 
not  essentially  differ  from  the  body  from  which  it  sprang. 
It  has  an  itinerant  and  a  local  or  non-itinerant  ministry; 
its  territory  is  divided  into  annual  conferences ;  it  has  a 
general  conference,  meeting  once  every  four  years;  has 
bishops  or  itinerant  general  superintendents,  elected  for 
life,  who  visit  the  annual  conferences  in  the  episcopal  dis- 
tricts to  which  they  are  assigned ;  has  presiding  elders  who 
exercise  sub- episcopal  oversight  in  the  districts  into  which 
the  annual  conferences  are  divided ;  and  has  the  probation- 
ary system  for  new  members,  with  exhorters,  class  leaders, 
stewards,  stewardesses,  etc. 

The  church  in  its  first  half-century  grew  slowly,  chiefly 
in  the  Northern  States,  until  the  close  of  the  war.  At  the 
end  of  the  first  decade  of  its  existence  it  had  two  confer- 
ences and  about  8000  members.  In  1856  it  had  seven 
conferences  and  about  20,000  members ;  in  1 866,  ten  con- 
ferences and  75,000  members.  Bishop  B.  W.  Arnett,  the 
ardent  and  industrious  statistician  of  the  church,  in  noting 
a  decrease  of  343  members  in  the  decade  ending  in  1836, 
in  the  Baltimore  conference  explains  that  it  was  due  to 
the  numerous  sales  of  members  as  slaves.  According  to 
elaborate  figures  furnished  by  him,  the  increase  in  the  value 
of  church  property  owned  by  the  denomination  was  not 
less  than  $400,000  in  the  decade  closing  in  1866,  or  nearly 
50  per  cent.  In  the  succeeding  ten  years  the  increase  was 
from  $825,000  to  $3,064,000,  not  including  parsonages, 
which  seem  to  have  been  embraced  in  the  total  for  1866. 
According  to  the  returns  for  1890,  given  herewith,  the 


THE  METHODISTS. 


239 


valuation  is  $6,468,280,  indicating  an  increase-of  $3,404,- 
280  in  the  last  fourteen  years,  or  1 1 1. 1 1  per  cent. 

The  church  is  widely  distributed,  having  congregations 
in  forty- one  States  and  Territories.  The  States  in  which 
it  is  not  represented  are  the  two  Dakotas,  Idaho,  Maine, 
Nevada,  New  Hampshire,  and  Vermont.  Its  members  are 
most  numerous  in  South  Carolina,  where  there  are  88,172. 
Georgia  comes  second,  with  73,248;  Alabama  third,  with 
30,781;  Arkansas  fourth,  with  27,956;  Mississippi  fifth, 
with  25,439.  Tennessee  has  23,718,  Texas  23,392,  and 
Florida  22,463.  In  no  other  State  does  the  number  reach 
17,000.  The  eight  Southern  States  above  given  report 
315,169  members,  or  considerably  more  than  two  thirds 
of  the  entire  membership  of  the  church. 

It  will  be  observed  that  of  the  2481  organizations  only 
31,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  2200,  worship  in  halls,  school- 
houses,  etc.  All  the  rest,  2450,  own  the  edifices  in  which 
their  meetings  are  held.  These  edifices  number  4124 — a 
remarkable  excess — and  have  a  total  seating  capacity  of 
1,160,838,  an  average  of  281  to  each  edifice.  The  average 
value  of  each  edifice  is  $1568. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Alabama  
Arkansas       .    .    . 

Organi- 
zations. 

H5 

173 

Church 
Edifices. 

274 

•J-2-5 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

77,600 
77.181 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$242,765 
233,421 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

30,781 
27,Ql6 

California    

14 

JC 

2,Q2Q 

24,3OO 

772 

Colorado  

8 

1 

2.3OO 

63,1OO 

788 

Connecticut  

4 

4 

1,271 

l6,OOO 

158 

Delaware 

T6 

•S'J 

7,O21 

30.1OO 

2,603 

Dist.  of  Columbia 
Florida  
Georgia  

6 
152 
7-14. 

jj 

& 

6iC4. 

5,500 

63,445 
I84.1Q2 

117,500 
168,473 
601,287 

i,479 
22,463 
73,248 

Illinois.  . 

74- 

lo? 

23,7QQ 

3IO,o8l 

6,383 

240    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. — Continued. 


Indiana 

Indian  Territory 

Iowa 

Kansas 

Kentucky 

Louisiana 

Maryland 

Massachusetts  . . 

Michigan 

Minnesota 

Mississippi 

Missouri 

Montana 

Nebraska 

New  Jersey 

New  Mexico 

New  York 

North  Carolina  . 

Ohio 

Oregon  

Pennsylvania  . . . 
Rhode  Island  . . . 
South  Carolina .  . 

Tennessee 

Texas 

Utah 

Virginia 

Washington 
West  Virginia  .  . 

Wisconsin 

Wyoming 


Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

36 

51 

16,450 

$138,280 

4,435 

14 

22 

1,  680 

2,618 

489 

29 

29 

7,115 

87,365 

1,820 

48 

58 

H,309 

153,530 

4,678 

90 

106 

39,100 

181,201 

13,972 

81 

115 

36,150 

193,115 

13,631 

58 

93 

29,881 

266,370 

12,359 

12 

ii 

5,950 

119,200 

i,342 

21 

26 

7,155 

72,185 

1,836 

6 

6 

2,350 

30,000 

489 

122 

255 

59,833 

226,242 

25,439 

87 

126 

27,870 

281,289 

9,589 

3 

2 

350 

14,000 

32 

4 

4 

1,350 

62,000 

399 

54 

68 

19,510 

159,850 

3 

3 

550 

3,3oo 

"  62 

34 

29 

12,900 

231,500 

3,124 

61 

147 

42,350 

112,998 

16,156 

in 

"3 

40,965 

318,250 

10,025 

i 

16 

87 

112 

39,900 

605,000 

11,613 

4 

3 

2,050 

95,000 

595 

229 

491 

125,945 

356,362 

88,172 

144 

236 

61,800 

461,305 

23,718 

138 

208 

82,850 

233,340 

23,392 

i 

7 

67 

1  02 

34,375 

187,245 

/ 

2 

i 

400 

4,000 

''  66 

3 

3 

1,050 

11,000 

216 

3 

3 

400 

40,000 

118 

3 

i 

200 

4,000 

139 

Total 2,481   4,124   1,160,838  $6,468,280   452,725 


SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES. 


CONFERENCES. 


Alabama . 
Arkansas . 
Baltimore 
California 


81 

62 


175  50,500  $124,345  18,398 

loo  25,590  77,49°  9,J74 

ioo  35,381  383,870  13,838 

16  3,329  28,300  854 


THE  METHODISTS. 


241 


SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES. — Continued. 


CONFERENCES. 

Central  Texas  .  . 

Columbia 

East  Florida 

Florida 

Georgia 

Illinois 

Indiana 

Indian  Territory 

Iowa 

Kansas 

Kentucky , 

Louisiana 

Macon , 

Michigan , 

Mississippi 

Missouri 

New  England . . . 

New  Jersey 

New  York 

North  Alabama . 
North  Carolina  . . 
Northeast  Texas 
North  Georgia.  . 
North  Louisiana 
North  Mississippi 
North  Missouri  . 

North  Ohio , 

Ohio 

Philadelphia 

Pittsburg 

Rocky  Mountain 
South  Arkansas  . : 
South  Carolina  . 

Tennessee 

Texas 

Virginia 

West  Arkansas  . 
West  Kentucky . 
West  Tennessee . 
West  Texas  . 


Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

20 

29 

11,700 

$50,300 

3,526 

133 

271 

65,065 

197,415 

42,840 

IO4 

I87 

45,320 

122,070 

12,797 

48 

82 

18,125 

46,403 

9,666 

124 

260 

67,882 

127,412 

26,963 

45 

77 

17,209 

107,250 

3,796 

36 
H 

5i 

22 

l6,|50 
1,  680 

138,280 

2,618 

4,435 
489 

67 

66 

16,455 

361,100 

5,014 

52 

62 

I5>659 

215,530 

5,077 

47 

58 

19,850 

81,551 

7,434 

42 
107 

6I 

226 

18,850 
68,060 

166,385 
287,662 

7,587 
25,568 

21 

26 

7,155 

72,185 

1,836 

42 

80 

23,275 

57,3oo 

10,270 

44 

56 

13,700 

216,575 

4,917 

20 

18 

9,275 

230,200 

2,095 

54 

68 

19,510 

159,850 

5,85i 

34 

29 

12,900 

231,500 

3,124 

64 

99 

27,100 

118,420 

12,383 

61 

H7 

42,350 

112,998 

16,156 

42 

56 

19,000 

56,575 

6,076 

103 

168 

48,650 

186,213 

20,717 

fe 

52 
175 

17,300 
36,558 

26,730 
168,942 

6,044 
15,169 

43 

70 

14,170 

64,714 

4,672 

66 

63 

22,940 

229,825 

4,446 

45 

50 

18,025 

88,425 

5,579 

61 

96 

30,975 

390,550 

10,247 

45 

52 

17,000 

264,950 

4,185 

18 

12 

3,400 

84,800 

1,028 

64 

137 

27,725 

75,616 

9,686 

96 

220 

60,880 

158,947 

45,332 

83 

130 

36,275 

338,219 

13,423 

32 

48 

21,400 

67,465 

6,461 

67 

102 

34,375 

187,245 

I2,3H 

47 

96 

24,270 

80,319 

9,096 

43 

48 

19,250 

99,650 

6,538 

61 

106 

25,525 

123,086 

10,295 

44 

75 

30,750 

59,000 

7,329 

Total 2,481   4,124   1,160,838  $6,468,280    452,725 


242     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


4. — THE  AFRICAN   UNION   METHODIST   PROTESTANT 
CHURCH. 

This  body,  which  has  a  few  congregations  divided  among 
eight  States,  came  into  existence  at  about  the  same  time 
the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized 
(1816),  differing  from  the  latter  chiefly  in  objection  to  the 
itinerancy,  to  a  paid  ministry,  and  to  the  episcopacy.  It 
has  2  annual  conferences,  with  40  organizations,  27  church 
edifices,  valued  at  $54,440,  and  3415  communicants;  13 
halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  1883,  are  occupied. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Delaware 

Organi- 
zations. 

6 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

I.2CQ 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$Q  6OO 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

368 

Maine 

I 

AC 

Maryland  . 

8 

7 

2.211 

56OO 

42 

I  ld.6 

New  Jersey 

8 

I 

8^6 

5.Q4O 

281 

New  York  

7 

HHPr 

60 

Pennsylvania    .  .  . 

8 

8 

2,  I4O 

•32.  IOO 

812 

Rhode  Island  

I 

**** 

40 

Virginia  

c 

2 

680 

I,2OO 

214. 

Total 


CONFERENCES. 

Baltimore 

Northern 

Total . . 


40 


27        7,161        $54,440        3,415 


SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES. 


26 
40 


9 

18 


2,935 
4,226 


$6,800 
47,640 


1,805 
1,610 


27        7,161        $54,440        3,415 


5. — THE   AFRICAN   METHODIST   EPISCOPAL    ZION 
CHURCH. 

A  congregation  of  colored  people,  organized  in  New 
York  City  in  1 796,  was  the  nucleus  of  the  African  Method- 
ist Episcopal  Zion  Church.  This  congregation  originated 


THE  METHODISTS.  243 

in  a  desire  of  colored  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  to  hold  separate  meetings,  in  which  they  "  might 
have  an  opportunity  to  exercise  their  spiritual  gifts  among 
themselves,  and  thereby  be  more  useful  to  one  another." 
They  built  a  church,  which  was  dedicated  in  1800,  the 
full  name  of  the  denomination  subsequently  organized 
being  given  to  it.  The  church  entered  into  an  agreement 
in  1 80 1  by  which  it  was  to  receive  certain  pastoral  super- 
vision from  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  It  had 
preachers  of  its  own,  who  supplied  its  pulpit  in  part.  In 
1820  this  arrangement  was  terminated,  and  in  the  same 
year  a  union  of  colored  churches  in  New  York,  New 
Haven,  Long  Island,  and  Philadelphia  was  formed  and 
rules  of  government  adopted.  Thus  was  the  African 
Methodist  Episcopal  Zion  Church  formally  organized. 

The  first  annual  conference  was  held  in  1821.  It  was 
attended  by  19  preachers,  representing  6  churches  and 
1426  members.  Next  year  James  Varick  was  chosen 
superintendent  of  the  denomination,  which  was  extended 
over  the  States  of  the  North  chiefly  until  the  close  of  the 
Civil  War,  when  it  entered  the  South  to  organize  many 
churches. 

In  its  polity  lay  representation  has  long  been  a  promi- 
nent feature.  Laymen  are  in  its  annual  conferences  as 
well  as  in  its  general  conference,  and  there  is  no  bar  to 
the  ordination  of  women.  Until  1880  its  superintendents, 
or  bishops,  were  elected  for  a  term  of  four  years.  In  that 
year  the  term  of  the  office  was  made  for  life  or  during 
good  behavior.  Its  system  is  almost  identical  with  that  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  except  the  presence  of 
laymen  in  the  annual  conference,  the  election  of  presiding 
elders  on  the  nomination  of  the  presiding  bishop,  instead 


244    RELIGIOUS  FORCES   OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 

of  their  appointment  by  the  bishop  alone,  and  similar  small 
divergences.  Its  general  conference  meets  quadrennially. 
Its  territory  is  divided  into  seven  episcopal  districts,  to 
each  of  which  a  bishop  is  assigned  by  the  general  confer- 
ence. There  are  in  all  twenty- eight  annual  conferences, 
one  of  which  is  partly  in  this  country  and  partly  in  Canada. 
There  is  also  a  missionary  district  in  Africa. 

The  church  is  represented  in  twenty-nine  States.  It  is 
strongest  in  North  Carolina,  where  it  has  1 1 1,949  commu- 
nicants;  Alabama  comes  next,  with  79,231  communicants; 
South  Carolina  third,  with  45,880;  and  Florida  fourth, 
with  14,791.  There  are  in  all  1704  organizations,  1587 
church  edifices,  which  have  accommodations  for  565,577 
worshipers  and  are  valued  at  $2,714,128,  and  349,788 
communicants.  The  average  seating  capacity  of  the 
church  edifices  is  356  and  their  average  value  $1710;  also 
114  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  15,520,  are  occupied 
as  meeting-places. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES.                             * 

Alabama  

)reani- 

:ations. 

^6 

Church 
Edifices. 

ml/4 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

II8,8OO 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$3O5,75O 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

70,271 

Arkansas  

20 

23 

8,800 

I7,2tjO 

7,601 

California    

17 

2,6OO 

•27,200 

2,627 

Connecticut  

12 

IO 

2.QOO 

7Q,75O 

I,OI2 

Delaware  

2 

I 

IIC 

5OO 

158 

District  of  Columbia 
Florida  

6 

61 

6 
61 

3,400 

2^,580 

298,800 
00,74.5 

2,495 
14,701 

Georgia  

70 

62 

10,775 

52,76o 

I2,7O5 

Illinois  

c 

5 

2,OOO 

1  7,4.00 

474, 

Indiana  

e 

r 

2,4OO 

54,7OO 

I,77Q 

Kentucky  

c; 

52 

1-3,071; 

86,87O 

7,217 

Louisiana  

21 

10 

<?,2OO 

I2,02O 

2,747 

Maryland  

17 

IO 

2,771; 

17,750 

1,211 

Massachusetts  

7 

6 

2,O5O 

58,800 

724 

Michigan  . 

6 

4. 

65O 

7,200 

702 

THE  METHODISTS. 


245 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. — Continued. 


Mississippi 64 

Missouri 6 

New  Jersey 25 

New  York 

North  Carolina  . 

Ohio 

Oregon  

Pennsylvania 62 

Rhode  Island . . . 
South  Carolina  . 

Tennessee 

Texas 

Virginia 72 

Wisconsin 

Total   1,704   1,587     565^77    $2,714,128   349,788 


Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

64 

50 

22,350 

$22,975 

8,5I9 

6 

6 

3>9<x> 

6,000 

2,037 

25 

24 

7,400 

107,700 

2,954 

47 

47 

17,000 

371,400 

6,668 

54i 

526^ 

171,430 

485,711 

111,949 

8 

5 

1,160 

13,000 

194 

2 

2 

300 

20,000 

275 

62 

55 

17,625 

256,150 

8,689 

3 

i 

400 

2,000 

401 

130 

128 

66,770 

126,325 

45,880 

55 

52 

21,093 

78,813 

12,434 

47 

38 

11,500 

26,450 

6,927 

72 

66 

16,770 

68,449 

11,765 

i 

i 

150 

400 

102 

6. — THE   ZION   UNION   APOSTOLIC   CHURCH. 

This  body  was  organized  at  a  meeting  held  at  Boydton, 
Va.,  in  1869.  It  is  said  that  most  of  those  concerned  in 
instituting  it  had  not  previously  belonged  to  any  regular 
body.  Its  discipline  is  very  similar  to  that  of  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  Church,  except  that  it  is  much  briefer.  Its 
system  includes  bishops,  annual  conferences  and  a  general 
conference,  itinerant  ministers,  local  preachers,  class-meet- 
ings, etc. ;  i  hall,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  100,  is  occupied. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


North  Carolina 
Virginia 29 

Total . . 


Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

3 

3 

900 

$1,900 

135 

29 

24 

9,200 

13,100 

2,211 

27         10,100      $15,000       2,346 


246    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

7. — THE   METHODIST   PROTESTANT   CHURCH. 

This  branch  of  Methodism  was  organized  in  1830  by 
ministers  and  members  who  had  been  expelled,  or  had 
seceded  from  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  It  was 
the  outcome  of  a  movement  for  a  change  in  certain  features 
of  the  government  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  In 
1824  a  Union  Society  was  formed  in  Baltimore  having  this 
object  in  view,  and  a  periodical  called  The  Mutual  Rights 
was  established  to  advocate  it.  The  chief  reform  insisted 
upon  was  the  admission  of  the  laity  to  a  share  in  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  church.  The  annual  and  general  confer- 
ences were  composed  entirely  of  ministers,  and  the  laymen 
had  no  place  or  voice  in  either.  A  convention  held  in  1827 
resolved  to  present  a  petition  to  the  general  conference 
of  1828  asking  for  lay  representation.  The  conference 
returned  an  unfavorable  reply  to  the  petitioners.  This 
only  served  to  intensify  the  feeling.  The  Union  Society 
entered  into  a  campaign  for  "  equal  rights,"  and  so  great 
an  agitation  resulted  that  the  leaders  of  the  movement 
came  to  be  regarded  as  disturbers  of  the  peace.  Some  of 
them  were  brought  to  trial  and  expelled  from  the  church. 
All  efforts  to  have  them  restored  having  failed,  many 
sympathizers  withdrew  from  the  church,  and  in  1828  a 
convention  of  the  disaffected  was  held  in  Baltimore,  and  a 
provisional  organization  formed.  Two  years  later  (Novem- 
ber 2,  1830)  another  convention  was  held  and  the  Meth- 
odist Protestant  Church  was  constituted.  It  began  its 
separate  existence  with  83  ministers,  and  about  5000  mem- 
bers. In  the  first  four  years  it  increased  its  membership 
enormously.  While  equal  rights  were  insisted  upon  in  the 
new  constitution,  as  between  ministers  and  laymen,  the 


THE  METHODISTS.  247 

right  of  suffrage  and  eligibility  to  office  was  restricted  to 
the  whites.  When  the  antislavery  agitation  began  in  the 
new  branch  some  years  later,  the  northern  and  western 
conferences  raised  an  objection  to  the  retention  of  the 
word  "  white "  in  the  constitution.  They  also  protested 
against  any  toleration  of  slavery  by  the  church.  Failing 
to  secure  such  changes  as  they  desired,  they  held  a  con- 
vention in  Springfield,  111.,  in  1858,  and  resolved  to  suspend 
all  relations  with  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church.  Later 
they  united  with  a  number  of  Wesleyan  Methodists  and 
formed  the  Methodist  Church.  After  the  close  of  the  war 
negotiations  for  a  reunion  were  begun,  and  in  1877  the 
two  branches — the  Methodist  and  the  Methodist  Protestant 
— were  made  one  under  the  old  title. 

The  Methodist  Protestant  Church  is  strongest  numeric- 
ally in  the  States  of  Ohio,  North  Carolina,  Maryland,  and 
West  Virginia.  It  is  represented  in  most  of  the  border 
and  Southern  States,  but  is  not  widely  diffused  among  the 
Northern  and  Western  States.  At  the  reunion  in  1877 
there  were  in  the  Methodist  branch  58,072  communicants; 
in  the  Methodist  Protestant  branch  58,470,  making  a  total 
of  116,542.  The  increase  since  then  has  amounted  to 
25,447,  the  membership  in  1890  aggregating  141,989. 
They  have  not,  however,  been  incorporated  in  the  disci- 
pline. The  average  seating  capacity  of  its  edifices  is  297, 
and  their  average  value  $1914.  There  are  575  halls,  with 
a  seating  capacity  of  80,025,  used  as  places  of  worship. 

In  doctrine,  the  Methodist  Protestant  does  not  differ 
from  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  except  that  it  has 
twenty-nine  instead  of  twenty-six  articles  of  religion.  The 
general  conference  of  1 888  appointed  a  committee  to  revise 
the  doctrinal  symbol.  The  committee  made  the  revision 


248     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

in  1 890,  adding  five  new  articles,  with  the  following  titles : 
"Free  Grace,"  "Freedom  of  the  Will,"  "Regeneration," 
"  Sanctification,"  and  "Witness  of  the  Spirit."  The  re- 
vised articles  were  submitted  to  the  annual  conferences  for 
amendment  and  approval,  but  have  not  been  adopted. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Alabama  

77 

72^ 

19,895 

$79,850 

4,432 

Arkansas  

118 

51 

14,650 

15,360 

3,946 

Connecticut  

3 

3 

530 

5,000 

154 

Delaware  

22 

22 

5,oi5 

51,600 

1,551 

District  of  Columbia 

9 

8 

3,225 

168,825 

831 

Florida  

ii 

5 

1,300 

2,400 

350 

Georgia  

80 

73 

21,050 

33,475 

4,390 

Illinois  

135 

94 

25,840 

H5,765 

5,502 

Indiana  

132 

i  io# 

33,885 

142,875 

7,033 

Indian  Territory  .  .  . 

16 

i 

200 

300 

278 

Iowa  

61 

55 

1^325 

84,900 

5,645 

Kansas  

32 

19 

4,550 

33,770 

1,890 

Kentucky  

40 

18 

6,050 

8,500 

1,822 

Louisiana  

26 

23 

7,550 

6,850 

1,231 

Maryland  

174 

i?i# 

44,993 

654,625 

13,283 

Michigan  

120 

94 

23,035 

161,702 

4,512 

Minnesota  

5 

5 

1,000 

3,000 

137 

Mississippi  

75 

73 

17,095 

16,175 

3,H7 

Missouri  

90 

38 

11,025 

29,900 

3,359 

Nebraska  

34 

9 

1,150 

8,450 

686 

New  Jersey  

39 

39 

12,625 

181,950 

3,459 

New  York  

90 

78 

27,690 

293,000 

4,759 

North  Carolina  .... 

199 

189 

70,205 

126,800 

H,35i 

Ohio  

234 

226^ 

68,945 

441,000 

18,931 

Oregon  

i 

i 

200 

1,200 

15 

Pennsylvania  

172 

129 

44,567 

641,575 

1  0,08  1 

South  Carolina  .... 

42 

42 

n,495 

21,095 

2,665 

Tennessee  

40 

3*# 

n,35o 

25,950 

2,880 

Texas  

I5« 

3i 

9,800 

16,700 

5,536 

Virginia  

57 

57 

15,650 

94,000 

4,154 

Washington  

6 

6 

2,550 

62,800 

315 

West  Virginia  

230 

142^ 

42,676 

153,545 

10,652 

Wisconsin  

i 

150 

400 

12 

Total 2,529    1,924     571,266   $3,683,337    141,989 


THE  METHODISTS. 


249 


SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES. 


CONFERENCES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church        Seeing 
Edifices.             • 

Value  of 
Church 

Com- 
muni- 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

Alabama  

73 

69         18,895 

$78,850 

3,932 

Alabama     Colored 

Mission  

4 

4         1,000 

I,OOO 

500 

Arkansas  

81 

50       14,300 

14,825 

2,868 

Baltimore    Colored 

Mission  

7 

5         1,300 

16,125 

230 

Central  Texas  

62 

6        3,100 

6,000 

2,163 

Colorado-Texas  .  .  . 

71 

5         i>65° 

1,900 

1,424 

Florida  Mission  .  .  . 

ii 

5         i,3oo 

2,400 

350 

Fort  Smith  Mission 

5i 

7        2,200 

2,335 

1,522 

Genesee  

18 

16^     3,935 

43,900 

936 

Georgia  

50 

45       J5,65o 

22,100 

3,067 

Georgia  Colored  .  . 

29 

27        5,200 

11,325 

Indiana  

130 

107^   33,135 

140,225 

6^981 

Indiana  Mission  .  .  . 

16 

I                 200 

300 

278 

Iowa  

61 

55       n,325 

84,900 

5,645 

Kansas  

32 

19        4,550 

33,770 

1,890 

Kentucky  

36 

12            4,800 

6,300 

1,585 

Louisiana  

20 

17            5,700 

5,050 

917 

Maryland  

254 

250^     68,183 

1,031,025 

19.473 

Michigan  

92 

68^    16,635 

121,777 

3,352 

Minnesota  

5 

JI,000 

3,000 

137 

Mississippi  
Missouri  

5o 
53 

9,495 
22         5,825 

8,125 
17,200 

1,910 
2,155 

Muskingum  

109 

I05K   34,255 

216,800 

Nebraska  

34 

9         1*150 

8,450 

686 

New  Jersey  

35 

35       10,775 

125,450 

3,028 

New  York  

27 

27        9»535 

172,475 

2,179 

North  Carolina  .  .  . 

193 

183       68,205 

124,100 

13,876 

North  Illinois  

58 

45       11,465 

76,450 

2,470 

North  Mississippi  . 
North  Missouri  .  .  . 

27 
29 

26        8,150 
16         5,200 

8,400 
12,700 

i,335 
1,074 

Ohio  

"5 

112       32,290 

195,100 

8,134 

Onondaga  

54 

43^    16,850 

119,400 

2,304 

Oregon  

7 

7         2,750 

64,000 

330 

Pennsylvania  

59 

27         8,450 

41,000 

i,346 

Pittsburg  

96 

85       31,257 

575,650 

7,8i7 

South  Carolina  .  .  . 

37 

37       10,550 

18,950 

2,132 

South   Carolina 

Colored  

H 

14        4,045 

6,995 

1,160 

South  Illinois  

78 

49^    14,525 

39,715 

3,044 

250    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 
SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES. — Continued. 


CONFERENCES. 

Tennessee  
Texas 

Organi-      Church         S5ftin& 
zatx>ns.      Edifices.       ^ 

33         33          9,750 

2C              IQ1A         S.CXO 

Value  of           Corn- 
Church            muni- 
Property,          cants. 

$l8,000          1,850 
8.8OO          I  Q4.Q 

Virginia  
West  Michigan  .  .  . 
West  Virginia  .... 

34         31          7,500 
32         29^       7,400 
227        143^     42,736 

18,450       2,943 

43,175        i,30i 
136,845      10,437 

Total 2,529     1,924      571,266   $3,683,337    141,989 

8. — THE   WESLEYAN   METHODIST   CONNECTION   OF 
AMERICA. 

In  this  title  "  Connection  "  is  used  in  a  sense  common 
to  Methodism,  especially  British  Methodism.  It  indicates 
congregations  bound  together  by  the  same  doctrinal  and 
ecclesiastical  ties.  This  body  was  organized  in  1843  by 
ministers  and  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
in  consequence  of  dissatisfaction  with  the  attitude  of  that 
body  toward  slavery  and  with  some  of  the  features  of  its 
governmental  system.  It  began  with  about  6000  members, 
most  of  whom  were  in  the  State  of  New  York.  In  doc- 
trine it  does  not  differ  from  other  branches  of  Methodism. 
It  refuses  to  receive  as  members  those  who  belong  to  secret 
societies,  and  as  long  as  the  institution  existed,  it  main- 
tained the  same  bar  against  those  connected  with  slavery. 
It  has  twenty-two  annual  conferences,  with  ministerial  and 
lay  members,  and  a  general  conference,  the  chief  legislative 
body  of  the  church,  which  meets  quadrennially.  There  is 
no  itinerancy,  as  in  most  other  Methodist  bodies,  but  pas- 
torates are  arranged  by  mutual  agreement  of  ministers  and 
congregations,  and  are  not  limited  to  a  term  of  years.  It 
has  565  organizations,  in  twenty-two  States,  with  16,492 


THE  METHODISTS. 


251 


members,  of  whom  nearly  one  fourth,  or  3913,  are  in  New 
York  ;  Michigan  second,  with  2942  ;  and  Indiana  third,  with 
2199  members.  The  average  value  of  the  342  houses  of 
worship  is  $1151,  and  the  average  seating  capacity  is  252. 
There  are  213  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  18,483. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

California  ...    . 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

I 
17 

44 
i6# 

8 

63^ 

4 

2 

75 
7 
40 
i 
30 
5 
9 
5 
i 
i 

12 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

250 
3.825 
13.030 
4,015 
2,325 

14,120 
625 

'500 
19,038 
I,980 

H.39I 
250 
7.205 
900 
2,650 
1,225 
200 
500 
2,225 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$750 
24,900 
37,900 
l6,500 
14,350 

Illinois   
Indiana  

.  .  .  .           2 

....         I9 

Iowa 

% 

Kansas 

2O 

Massachusetts  . 
Michigan  
Minnesota 
Missouri  
Nebraska  . 

•  •  •  •          22 
I 

'  •  '  '        H3 

5 

.  .  .  .             2 

58,475 
1,300 

New  Jersey 

2,650 
135,950 

1,675 
46,500 
1,200 
25,300 

5,200 

2,050 
6,850 
600 
1,500 
9,600 

New  York  
North  Carolina 
Ohio  

114 

8 

AC 

Oregon  

43 

Pennsylvania  .  . 

A.I 

South  Dakota  . 
Tennessee  .... 

23 

Vermont 

.4                              6 

Washington 

•5 

West  Virginia  . 
Wisconsin  .... 

10 

Total  .  . 

c6c 

342          86,254         $393,250 

BY  CONFERENCES. 

30        7,530        $37,100 
18         5,141           13,800 
27         6,750          43,95° 
5            900            5,200 
17         3,825           24,900 
44       13,030           37,Qoo 
i6lA     A.  on;           i6.c;oo 

CONFERENCES. 

Allegheny  .... 

SUMMARY 
7A 

Central  Ohio  .  . 

10 

Champlain 

•?Q 

Dakota 

oy 

27 

Illinois.      .    . 

.  .  .         19 

Indiana  

58 

Iowa  . 

....      \6 

16,492 


1,207 

784 

1,444 
458 
643 

2,199 
840 


252     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 
SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES.— Continued. 


CONFERENCES. 

Kansas  

Organi- 
zations. 

18 

Church 
Edifices. 

6 

Seating 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$IO  I  CO 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Lockport  

•2Q 

21 

c  "3  CQ 

806 

Miami  

17 

TC 

4-52C 

1C  AOO 

71/1 

Michigan  

78 

II 

IO  52O 

4O  2CO 

I  Q7Q 

Minnesota  .    . 

C 

62  C 

I    7OO 

207 

Nebraska  

\ 

w^j 

78 

New  York  
North  Carolina  .... 
North  Michigan  .  .  . 
Pacific 

12 

8 
65 

4 
IT* 

776 
1,980 
3,600 
7OO 

5,250 
1,675 
9,225 
2  550 

239 
141 

963 

Rochester  

21 

6,087 

4O,IOO 

I.OQQ 

South  Kansas 

g 

2 

800 

42OO 

Syracuse  

24 

•J.QOO 

26,4OO 

QJJQ 

Tennessee  

14 

Q 

2,6co 

2,OCO 

462 

Wisconsin  .  . 

IQ 

II  */£ 

2.22C 

O.600 

427 

Total 565      342       86,254       $393,250     16,492 

9. — THE   METHODIST  EPISCOPAL   CHURCH,  SOUTH. 

This  body  was  organized  at  a  convention  held  in  Louis- 
ville, Ky.,  in  1845,  by  annual  conferences  in  the  South, 
which  had  accepted  a  plan  of  separation  adopted  by  the 
general  conference  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at 
its  meeting  in  New  York  in  1844.  The  cause  of  separa- 
tion was  the  slavery  question. 

This  question,  which  gave  rise  to  much  discussion  and 
several  divisions  among  Methodists,  engaged  their  atten- 
tion as  early  as  1780,  four  years  before  American  Method- 
ism was  given  organized  form.  A  conference  held  in 
Baltimore  in  1780  took  action  requiring  traveling  preachers 
who  held  slaves  to  set  them  free,  and  advising  lay  slave- 
holders to  do  likewise.  In  1 789  the  following  appeared 
in  the  discipline  among  the  rules  prohibiting  certain  things : 


THE  METHODISTS.  253 

"  The  buying  or  selling  the  bodies  and  souls  of  men, 
women,  or  children,  with  an  intention  to  enslave  them." 

The  conference  of  1784,  which  organized  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  deemed  it  a  "  bounden  duty  "  to  take 
effective  measures  to  "  extirpate  this  abomination  from 
among  us."  It  accordingly  insisted  that  all  those  holding 
slaves  should  adopt  a  system  of  manumission,  failing  in 
which  they  should  be  excluded  from  the  church,  and  that 
in  future  no  slaveholder  should  be  admitted  to  the  church 
until  he  had  ceased  to  hold  slaves.  In  1800  the  disci- 
pline provided  that  any  minister  becoming  a  slaveholder 
must,  if  legally  possible  under  the  laws  of  the  State  in 
which  he  lived,  emancipate  his  slaves  or  "  forfeit  his  min- 
isterial character."  In  1816  the  general  conference  de- 
clared slaveholders  ineligible  to  any  official  station  in  the 
church,  except  in  States  where  the  laws  did  not  "  admit  of 
emancipation  and  permit  the  liberated  slave  to  enjoy  free- 
dom." These  provisions  could  not  be  observed  in  some 
of  the  States  in  the  South,  and  were  not  insisted  on  in  the 
Carolinas,  Georgia,  and  Tennessee.  In  1808  the  general 
conference  directed  that  a  number  of  disciplines,  "  with 
the  section  and  rule  on  slavery  left  out,"  be  printed  for  use 
in  South  Carolina. 

About  twenty- five  years  later  the  antislavery  agitation 
in  the  North  began  to  affect  Methodism.  The  general 
conference  of  1836  exhorted  the  members  of  the  church 
"  to  abstain  from  all  abolition  movements  and  associations," 
and  censured  two  of  its  members  for  taking  part  in  an 
antislavery  meeting.  In  the  South  the  rule  concerning  the 
connection  of  ministers  with  slavery  had  not  been  enforced, 
except  in  six  of  the  border  conferences.  The  episcopacy, 
however,  had  been  kept  free  from  any  conflict  with  slave- 


254    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

holding.  While  the  Northern  conferences  would  not  have 
received  a  slaveholding  bishop,  the  Southern  conferences 
could  not  agree  that  slaveholders  ought  to  be  excluded 
from  the  episcopacy.  A  serious  conflict  arose,  therefore, 
when  Bishop  Andrew,  a  Southern  man  who  was  elected 
bishop  in  1832,  became  by  marriage,  in  January,  1844,  a 
slaveholder.  At  the  general  conference  held  in  May  of 
that  year  in  New  York  City,  after  a  long  discussion,  it  was 
declared  by  a  vote  of  1 1 1  to  69  to  be  the  sense  of  the 
conference  that  Bishop  Andrew  "  desist  from  the  exercise 
of  his  office  so  long  as  he  is  connected  with  slavery."  The 
Southern  delegates  protested  against  this  action,  and  in- 
sisted that  under  the  circumstances  the  "  continuance  of 
the  jurisdiction  of  this  general  conference  "  over  the  con- 
ferences in  the  slaveholding  States  was  "  inconsistent  with 
the  success  of  the  ministry  "  in  those  States.  The  outcome 
was  the  adoption  of  a  report  of  a  committee  of  nine  em- 
bodying a  plan  of  separation  to  become  operative,  if  the 
thirteen  annual  conferences  in  the  slaveholding  States 
should  "  find  it  necessary  to  unite  in  a  distinct  ecclesias- 
tical connection,  and  if  the  various  annual  conferences  by  a 
three-fourths  vote  should  so  change  the  constitution  as  to 
allow  of  a  division  of  the  property  of  the  Book  Concern." 

The  action  of  the  general  conference  was  followed,  in  the 
South,  by  a  convention  in  Louisville,  Ky.,  in  May,  1845, 
representing  the  thirteen  annual  conferences  which  had 
expressed  their  approval  of  the  plan  of  separation.  This 
convention  declared  the  conferences  represented  a  distinct 
body  under  the  title,  "  The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
South."  Two  bishops,  Andrew  and  Soule,  cast  their  lot 
with  the  Southern  church,  the  former  in  1845,  the  latter 
at  the  first  general  conference  in  1846.  The  Northern 


THE  METHODISTS.  2$$ 

annual  conferences  disapproved  the  plan  of  separation,  and 
the  general  conference  of  1848  declared  it  null  and  void. 
A  suit  for  a  division  of  the  property  according  to  the 
plan  of  separation  was  prosecuted,  and  the  Supreme  Court 
of  the  United  States,  in  1854,  decided  it  in  favor  of  the 
Southern  church.  A  fraternal  messenger  sent  by  the  lat- 
ter to  the  Northern  general  conference  of  1848  was  not 
received  officially  by  that  body.  It  was  not  until  after  the 
Civil  War  (1876)  that  fraternity  was  established  between 
the  two  churches. 

The  Southern  church  lost  more  heavily  during  the  years 
of  the  war  than  the  Northern.  The  latter  had  in  1864 
about  68,000  fewer  members  than  in  1860,  the  decrease 
occurring  chiefly  in  the  border  conferences.  The  former 
lost  between  the  years  1860  and  1866  113,000  white 
members,  while  its  colored  membership,  aggregating  207,- 
766,  dwindled  to  78,742.  Most  of  the  colored  members 
went,  at  the  close  of  the  war,  into  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  (which  extended  its  operations  into  the  South),  and 
into  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  and  African  Method- 
ist Episcopal  Zion  churches.  In  1870  nearly  all  the  re- 
maining colored  members  were  organized  into  the  Colored 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  There  are  now  only  about 
500  colored  members  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
South,  and  these  are  scattered  among  27  annual  confer- 
ences. In  the  Indian  Mission  Conference  about  3500  of 
the  10,498  members  are  Indians.  The  Southern  church 
reorganized  its  shattered  forces  at  the  close  of  the  war,  and 
in  a  few  years  was  again  in  the  full  tide  of  prosperity.  Its 
growth  in  the  last  decade  has  been  rapid. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  has  the  same 
articles  of  religion,  the  same  system  of  conferences,  annual 


2$6    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

and  general,  and  substantially  the  same  discipline  as  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  It  differs  from  the  latter  in 
admitting  lay  delegates  (four  from  each  district)  to  the 
annual  conferences;  in  making  lay  equal  to  ministerial 
representation  in  the  general  conference;  in  giving  the 
bishops  a  modified  veto  over  legislation  which  they  may 
deem  unconstitutional ;  and  in  abolishing  the  probationary 
term  of  six  months  for  candidates  for  membership.  The 
changes  respecting  lay  delegation  and  the  probationary 
system  were  adopted  in  1866.  The  pastoral  term  was  in 
the  same  year  extended  from  two  to  four  years. 

There  are  45  annual  conferences,  covering  the  entire 
country  south  of  the  4Oth  parallel  of  latitude,  which  nearly 
corresponds  with  Mason  and  Dixon's  line,  and  also  parts 
of  Oregon,  Montana,  Idaho,  and  Washington;  but  the 
number  of  congregations  in  these  States  is  not  large.  Nor 
are  there  many  congregations  in  the  southern  portions  of 
Indiana  and  Illinois.  The  church  is  strongest  in  Texas, 
where  it  has  139,347  members;  in  Georgia,  where  it  has 
134,600;  and  in  Tennessee,  where  the  number  reaches 
121,398.  There  are  in  all  1,209,976  members,  with  15,017 
organizations,  and  12,688  edifices,  which  are  valued  at 
$J  8, 7  7  5, 3  62.  Of  the  congregations,  1634  meet  in  halls, 
etc.,  which  have  a  seating  capacity  of  190,777.  The  aver- 
age seating  capacity  of  the  church  edifices  is  265,  and  the 
average  value  $1480. 


THE  METHODISTS. 


257 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATIS. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church          ^f* 
Edifices                     " 

Value  of 
Church 

Com- 
muni- 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

Alabama  

1,101 

1,050        243,735 

$1,123,523 

87,912 

Arizona  

II 

6         1,150 

12,000 

336 

Arkansas  

1,033 

809        203,009 

708,895 

71,565 

California  

175 

97^    23,210 

446,010 

7,497 

Colorado  

26 

16         3,411 

100,300 

1,299 

Dist.  of  Columbia 

4 

3          1,675 

6l,400 

953 

Florida  

389 

347       61,338 

333,824 

25,362 

Georgia  

1,286 

1,272  K  322,856 

I,66l,4IO 

134,600 

Idaho   

ii 

4             700 

5,000 

221 

Illinois  

154 

108        26,450 

123,183 

7,109 

Indiana  

10 

8          1,850 

13,100 

945 

Indian  Territory  .  . 

275 

134       24,455 

59,600 

9,693 

Iowa  

8 

7          1,800 

9,200 

730 

Kansas  

83 

40^    10,300 

83,450 

3,346 

Kentucky  

989 

827      239,410 

1,539,567 

82,430 

Louisiana  

316 

296^    49,755 

483,470 

24,874 

Maryland  

142 

J35>£    3o>47o 

361,990 

10,604 

Mississippi  

903 

854      207,760 

903,563 

74,785 

Missouri  

1,230 

921      264,788 

2,046,389 

86,466 

Montana  

23 

13         2,920 

74,000 

492 

Nebraska  

8 

6         1,275 

10,800 

206 

New  Mexico  

25 

18         2,850 

32,600 

548 

North  Carolina  .  .  . 

1,288 

1,203^  380,500 

i,47i,i35 

114,385 

Oklahoma  

15 

7          i,55o 

16,150 

805 

Oregon  

70 

40         7,960 

50,850 

i,936 

Pennsylvania  .... 

14 

12          2,475 

11,400 

635 

South  Carolina  .  .  . 

686 

678      196,808 

796,840 

68,092 

Tennessee  

1,367 

1,258      376,483 

1,994,382 

121,398 

Texas  
Virginia  

1,701 
1,172 

1,076      296,578 
1,107      285,735 

1,647,866 
2,183,565 

139,347 
105,892 

Washington  

20 

n          2,385 

27,650 

449 

West  Virginia  .  .  . 

482 

321        83,765 

382,250 

25,064 

Total 15,017  12,688  3,359,466  $18,775,362  1,209,976 


SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES. 


CONFERENCES. 


Alabama 509  502  109,920  $567,360  39,574 

Arkansas 333  203  55,985  199,596  23,134 

Baltimore 561  482  120,550  977,965  41,070 

Columbia 44  29  5,260  32,650  1,280 


258     RELIGIOUS  FORCES   OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES. — Continued. 


CONFERENCES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church           ^"S 
Edifices. 

Value  of 
Church 

Com- 
muni- 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

Denver  

28 

17             3>56I 

$IOI,IOO 

J,395 

East  Columbia  .  .  . 

56 

24^      5,585 

48,850 

1,301 

East  Texas  

2I9 

210          47,925 

214,825 

22,050 

Florida  

322 

280          53,348 

309,024 

20,420 

German  Mission  . 

22 

21  yz    4,600 

42,350 

J,325 

Holston  

624 

542    165,370 

904,890 

43,OI4 

Illinois  

I63 

115        28,050 

133,783 

7,854 

Indian  Mission  .  .  . 

290 

141        26,005 

75,750 

10,498 

Kentucky  

332 

278^  80,565 

692,900 

27,114 

Little  Rock  

456 

391      92,845 

326,217 

28,016 

Los  Angeles  

46 

31        6,900 

157,735 

2,072 

Louisiana  

250 

242^  37,155 

445,845 

20,379 

Louisville  

488 

419^  119,100 

691,967 

40,427 

Memphis  

491 

484     135,728 

704,620 

49,436 

Mexican      Border 

Mission  

22 

14       2,125 

24,075 

1,041 

Mississippi  

463 

418      100,207 

413,690 

38,173 

Missouri  

468 

401      107,520 

740,264 

36,965 

Montana  

24 

14         3,120 

76,000 

5*7 

New  Mexico  

27 

19             2,950 

38,200 

535 

North  Alabama  .  . 

657 

613        141,255 

580,513 

53,2io 

North  Carolina  .  . 

602 

557      169,715 

712,975 

52,643 

North  Georgia  .  .  . 

737 

734      198,176 

1,041,680 

82,921 

North  Mississippi  . 

508 

492      120,703 

527,948 

4i,i77 

North  Texas 

458 

285        83,800 

417,928 

42,013 

Northwest  Texas. 

610 

275        86,730 

439,386 

45,208 

Pacific  

139 

72        17,310 

298,275 

5,722 

Saint  Louis  

339 

225        72,965 

615,975 

20,684 

South  Carolina  .  . 

686 

678      196,808 

796,840 

68,992 

South  Georgia  .  .  . 

546 

535^  122,980 

617,230 

5i,395 

Southwest       Mis- 

souri   

43i 

301  y2    86,103 

699,350 

29,547 

Tennessee  

608 

558      166,460 

881,832 

59,999 

Texas  

190 

157       43,860 

335,777 

15,237 

Virginia  

710 

702      177.055 

1,474,580 

69,826 

Western  

9i 

46X    n,575 

94,250 

3,552 

Western       North 

Carolina  

646 

6°7      199,635 

689,960 

57,594 

Western  Virginia  . 

400 

241        68,285 

279,000 

20,722 

West  Texas  

177 

113       27,438 

169,125 

12,429 

White  River  

244 

216       54,239 

183,082 

20,415 

Total 15,017    12,688  3,359,466  $18,775,362  1,209,976 


THE  METHODISTS.  259 

10. — THE   CONGREGATIONAL   METHODISTS. 

Dissatisfaction  with  certain  features  of  the  system  of 
polity  led  a  number  of  ministers  and  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  to  withdraw  and 
organize  a  body  in  which  laymen  should  have  an  equal 
voice  in  church  government  and  local  preachers  should 
become  pastors.  The  new  church  was  organized  in 
Georgia  in  1852,  and  called  the  Congregational  Method- 
ist Church.  The  first  district  conference  was  formed  the 
same  year.  A  number  of  churches  in  harmony  with  the 
principles  of  the  movement  were  organized  in  Georgia, 
Mississippi,  and  other  States  of  the  South,  to  which  it  ha£ 
been  confined.  In  1888  many  of  the  churches  and  minis- 
ters went  over  into  the  Congregational  denomination,  which 
appeared  in  the  South  after  the  war. 

The  system  of  the  Congregational  Methodists  is  not 
purely  congregational.  The  local  church  has  large  pow- 
ers, but  appeals  from  its  decisions  may  be  taken  to  the 
district  conference,  and  thence  to  the  State  conference, 
and  also  to  the  general  conference.  These  bodies  have 
likewise  the  power  of  censure  or  approval.  The  district 
conference  may  "  condemn  opinions  and  practices  contrary 
to  the  word  of  truth  and  holiness,"  and  may  cite  offending 
parties  for  trial,  and  admonish,  rebuke,  suspend,  or  expel 
from  the  conference.  Ministers  and  lay  members  have 
equal  rights  and  privileges  in  the  local  church  and  all  the 
conferences.  The  district  conference  is  composed  of  rep- 
resentatives from  the  churches,  the  State  conference  of 
representatives  of  the  district  conferences,  and  the  general 
conference  of  delegates  chosen  by  the  State  conferences. 
District  conferences  meet  semi-annually,  State  conferences 


260    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 


annually,  and  the  general  conference  quadrennially.  The 
ministers  are  elders  ordained  after  examination  and  ap- 
proved by  the  district  conference.  The  elder,  as  pastor 
of  a  church,  presides  at  its  monthly  conference.  The  other 
officers  of  a  church  are  class  leader,  deacon  or  steward, 
and  clerk.  The  itinerancy  is  not  in  force.  In  doctrine 
this  branch  does  not  differ  from  other  Methodist  bodies. 

This  body  has  in  all  214  organizations,  150  edifices, 
valued  at  $41,680,  and  8765  communicants.  Its  chief 
strength  lies  in  Alabama,  where  it  has  2596  communicants. 
The  average  seating  capacity  of  its  church  edifices  is  310, 
and  the  average  value  $278.  There  are  60  halls,  with  a 
seating  capacity  of  7825. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Alabama     

Organi- 
zations. 

6c 

Church 
Edifices. 

59 
4 
i 
28 

22 
13 

4 
19 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

18,575 
1,675 
550 

8,000 

5,600 
4,400 
1,150 
6,450 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$14.050 
2,525 
250 
8,050 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

2,596 
223 
I79 
1,655 
96 

1,341 
1,450 
196 
1,029 

Arkansas     

...          IO 

Florida  

7 

Georgia  . 

2Q 

„..     9 
Illinois  

...         4 

Mississippi  

28 

5,400 

3,000 

780 
7,625 

Missouri  

38 

Tennessee  

7 

Texas  

...       26 

Total 


214      150      46,400        $41,680       8,765 


SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES. 


CONFERENCES. 


Arkansas 
Georgia . . 


Illinois 

Mississippi 28 

Missouri 38 

North  Alabama .  . . 

Tennessee 

Texas  

West  Florida . . 


10 

4 

1,675 

26 

25 

7,200 

4 

28 

22 

5,600 

38 

13 

4,400 

59 

53 

17,550 

7 

4 

1,150 

26 

19 

6,450 

16 

10 

2,375 

$2,525 
7,300 


5,400 

3,000 

13,300 

780 

7,625 


223 

i,5i7 
96 

i,34i 
1,450 
2,281 

196 
1,029 

632 


Total 214       150       46,400         $41,680       8,765 


THE  METHODISTS.  261 


II. — THE   CONGREGATIONAL   METHODISTS,  COLORED. 

This  body  consists  of  congregations  of  colored  members, 
organized  into  conferences  by  presidents  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Methodist  Church,  to  which  it  corresponds  in  all 
particulars  of  doctrine,  polity,  and  usage.  The  only  differ- 
ence between  the  churches  of  the  two  bodies  is  that  they 
are  composed  of  white  and  colored  persons  respectively. 
Four  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  450,  are  occupied. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 

ru~»  •          ru  «.!.         Seating         Value  of          Com- 

STATES.  °rSa™-         gg?2  Ca-  Church  muni- 

ces-         pacity.          Property.         cants. 

Alabama 7  5  585          $525          215 

Texas 2  . .  . .  104 

Total 9  5  585          $525          319 


12. — THE   NEW   CONGREGATIONAL   METHODISTS. 

This  branch  originated  in  Ware  County,  Ga.,  in  1881. 
It  was  organized  by  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  South,  who  were  aggrieved  by  a  certain  action 
of  a  quarterly  conference  of  that  body,  which  action  they 
regarded  as  arbitrary.  It  has  the  same  doctrines  and  sub- 
stantially the  same  practical  system  as  the  Congregational 
Methodist  Church.  A  number  of  its  churches  united  with 
the  Congregational  denomination  in  1888. 

There  are  in  all  24  organizations,  17  edifices,  valued  at 
$3750,  and  1059  members,  found  chiefly  in  Georgia.  The 
average  seating  capacity  of  the  church  edifices  is  294  and 
the  average  value  $214.  There  are  6  halls,  with  a  seating 
capacity  of  450. 


262     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 

Seating          Value  of  Com- 


Florida 3  I  300          $150  1 13 

Georgia 21  16         4,850         3,600  946 

Total 24          17         5,150       $3,750         1,059 


13. — THE   COLORED   METHODIST   EPISCOPAL   CHURCH. 

The  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized 
in  1870  of  colored  members  and  ministers  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  South.  Before  the  Civil  War  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  did  a  large  evangel- 
istic work  among  the  negroes.  Bishop  H.  N.  McTyeire,  of 
that  body,  in  his  "  History  of  Methodism,"  says :  "As  a 
general  rule  negro  slaves  received  the  gospel  by  Method- 
ism from  the  same  preachers  and  in  the  same  churches 
with  their  masters,  the  galleries  or  a  portion  of  the  body 
of  the  house  being  assigned  to  them.  If  a  separate  build- 
ing was  provided,  the  negro  congregation  was  an  append- 
age to  the  white,  the  pastor  usually  preaching  once  on 
Sunday  for  them,  holding  separate  official  meetings  with 
their  leaders,  exhorters,  and  preachers,  and  administering 
discipline  and  making  return  of  members  for  the  annual 
minutes."  For  the  negroes  on  plantations,  who  were  not 
privileged  to  attend  organized  churches,  special  missions 
were  begun  as  early  as  1829.  In  1845,  the  year  which 
marks  the  beginning  of  the  separate  existence  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  South,  there  were  in  the  Southern 
conferences  of  Methodism,  according  to  Bishop  McTyeire, 
124,000  members  of  the  slave  population,  and  in  1860 
about  207,000. 


THE  METHODISTS.  26$ 

In  1866,  after  the  opening  of  the  South  to  Northern 
churches  had  given  the  negro  members  opportunity  to 
join  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal,  the  African  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Zion,  and  other  Methodist  bodies,  it  was 
found  that  of  the  207,742  colored  members  which  the 
church,  South,  had  in  1860,  only  78,742  remained.  The 
general  conference  of  1866  authorized  these  colored  mem- 
bers, with  their  preachers,  to  be  organized  into  separate 
congregations  and  annual  conferences,  and  the  general 
conference  of  1870  appointed  two  bishops  to  organize  the 
colored  conferences  into  a  separate  and  independent  church. 
This  was  done  in  December,  1870,  the  new  body  taking 
the  name  "  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal  Church."  Its 
rules  limited  the  privilege  of  membership  to  negroes. 

The  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  has  the  same 
articles  of  religion,  the  same  form  of  government,  and  the 
same  discipline  as  its  parent  body.  Its  bishops  are  elected 
for  life.  One  of  them,  Bishop  L.  H.  Holsey,  says  that  for 
some  years  the  body  encountered  strong  opposition  from 
colored  people  because  of  its  relation  to  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  South,  but  that  this  prejudice  has  now 
almost  entirely  disappeared.  He  says  a  separate  organi- 
zation was  made  necessary  by  the  change  in  the  relation 
between  master  and  slave.  "  The  former,  though  divested 
of  his  slaves,  carried  with  him  all  the  notions,  feelings,  and 
elements  in  his  religious  and  social  life  that  characterized 
his  former  years.  On  the  other  hand,  the  emancipated 
slave  had  but  little  in  common  with  the  former  master ; 
in  fact,  he  had  nothing  but  his  religion,  poverty,  and  igno- 
rance. With  social  elements  so  distinct  and  dissimilar  the 
best  results  of  a  common  church  relation  could  not  be  ex- 
pected," Bishop  Holsey  declares  that  the  great  aim  of 


264    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

the  church  is  (i)  to  evangelize   the  negroes,  and  (2)  to 
educate  and  elevate  them. 

There  are  23  annual  conferences,  with  129,383  members. 
It  will  be  noticed  that  the  church  is  almost  entirely  con- 
fined to  the  South.  It  is  strongest  in  Georgia,  where  it 
has  22,840  members ;  Mississippi  comes  next,  with  20, 107  ; 
Tennessee  third,  with  1 8,968 ;  and  Alabama  fourth,  with 
18,940.  There  are  1759  organizations,  with  1653  church 
edifices,  valued  at  $1,713,366.  The  average  seating 
capacity  of  each  edifice  is  328,  and  the  average  value 
$1036.  There  are  64  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of 
6526. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 


Seating 

Ca, 
pacity. 


Value  of 
Church 
Property. 


Com- 
muni- 
cants. 


Alabama  ..........  222  220  69,200  $264,625  18,940 

Arkansas  .........  116  104  31,050  60,277  5,888 

Delaware  .........  6  3  430  1,125  l%7 

District  of  Columbia  5  4  3,500  123,800  939 

Florida  ...........  36  26  7,000  14*709  1,461 

Georgia  ...........  266  256  100,495  167,145  22,840 

Illinois  ............  2  2  800  1,250  56 

Indian  Territory  ...  13  9  2,850  2,975  291 

Kansas  ...........  17  15  3,625  14,400  713 

Kentucky  .........  91  63  16,600  140,330  6,908 

Louisiana  .........  138  131  43,220  134,135  8,075 

Maryland  .........  2  2  205  475  44 

Mississippi  ........  293  292  72,150  230,290  20,107 

Missouri  ..........  35  31  5,554  22,140  953 

New  Jersey  ........  5  3  625  7,5oo  266 

North  Carolina  ____  26  20  7,725  23,120  2,786 

Pennsylvania  ......  6  2  310  1,400  247 

South  Carolina  ----  34  33  15,045  65,325  3,468 

Tennessee  ........  206  205  67,900  258,120  18,968 

Texas  ............  222  216  88,330  147,075  14,895 

Virginia  ..........  18  16  4,850  33>I5°  1>3S1 

Total  .........  1,759  *»653  541,4^4  $1,713,366  129,383 


THE  METHODISTS. 


SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES. 


265 


CONFERENCES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Alabama  

180 

I78 

53,800 

$230,125 

16,347 

Arkansas  

44 

44 

io,575 

23,650 

2,152 

Central  Alabama  .  . 

31 

3i 

11,900 

27,900 

2,061 

East  Texas  

147 

147 

68,200 

84,100 

io,795 

Florida  

36 

26 

7,000 

14,709 

1,461 

Georgia  

104 

96 

43*050 

71,300 

8,047 

Indian  Mission  .... 

II 

7 

2,600 

2,675 

239 

Kentucky  

91 

63 

16,600 

H0,330 

6,908 

Little  Rock  

75 

62 

20,725 

36,927 

3,860 

Louisiana  

138 

131 

43,220 

134,135 

8,075 

Mississippi  
Missouri  and  Kansas 

108 
43 

no 

37 

23,100 
6,029 

94,000 
31,040 

7,446 
1,309 

New  Jersey  

18 

9 

1,445 

io,.325 

716 

North  Carolina  

26 

20 

7,725 

23,120 

2,786 

North  Mississippi  .  . 

185 

182 

49,050 

136,290 

12,661 

South  Carolina  

34 

33 

15,045 

65,325 

3,468 

Southeast    Missouri 

and  Illinois  

12 

12 

4,350 

7,100 

430 

South  Georgia  

162 

160 

57,445 

95,845 

H,793 

Tennessee  

98 

96 

30,550 

87,270 

8,621 

Texas  

34 

34 

11,200 

14,850 

1,700 

Virginia  

24 

21 

8,475 

157,125 

2,318 

West  Tennessee  .  .  . 

118 

119 

40,450 

177,100 

10,862 

West  Texas  

40 

35 

8,930 

48,125 

2,328 

Total 1,759   ',653     541,464   $1,713,366  129,383 


14. — THE   PRIMITIVE   METHODIST   CHURCH. 

The  Primitive  Methodist  Church  is  not  a  branch  of 
American  Methodism,  but  it  came  from  England,  being 
introduced  first  into  Canada  in  1843  an(i  tnen  mto  tne 
United  States.  In  England  the  Primitive  Methodist 
Church  came  into  existence  in  1812.  It  was  organized  by 
ministers  and  members  of  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Church 
who  believed  in  camp-meetings  and  persisted  in  holding 
them.  The  Wesleyan  conference  declared  camp-meetings 
"  highly  improper  and  likely  to  be  productive  of  consider- 


266     RELIGIOUS  FORCES   OF   THE    UNITED   STATES. 


able  mischief."  Primitive  Methodism  differs  from  Wes- 
leyan  Methodism  chiefly  in  the  larger  use  it  makes  of  the 
lay  element. 

For  many  years  there  were  in  the  United  States  two 
annual  conferences,  the  Eastern  and  the  Western.  These 
were  separate  until  1889,  when  they  united  in  organizing 
a  general  conference.  There  are  now  three  annual  con- 
ferences, the  Eastern,  the  Pennsylvania,  and  the  Western. 
Each  conference  is  subdivided  into  districts,  as  is  the  cus- 
tom in  other  branches  of  Methodism.  They  also  have 
itinerant  and  local  ministers,  class  leaders,  etc. 

The  Primitive  Methodists  are  represented  only  in  eight 
States,  nearly  one  half  of  the  total  of  communicants,  4764, 
being  found  in  Pennsylvania.  They  have  84  organizations, 
with  78  edifices,  valued  at  $291,993.  The  average  value 
of  each  edifice  is  $3743,  and  the  average  seating  capacity 
is  268.  There  are  1 1  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of 
1670. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Illinois 

Iowa 

Massachusetts  .... 

New  York 

Ohio 

Pennsylvania 42 

Rhode  Island . . . 
Wisconsin 13 


Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

8 

7 

1,710 

$14,800 

369 

2 

3 

500 

3,150 

29 

7 

6 

1,750 

40,000 

575 

5 

4 

1,750 

47,650 

496 

3 

3 

660 

2,400 

69 

42 

40 

n,435 

146,025 

2,267 

4 

3 

750 

12,568 

194 

13 

12 

2,375 

25,400 

765 

Total . 


84        78       20,930       $291,993       4,764 


SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES. 


CONFERENCES. 

Eastern 16  13 

Pennsylvania 45  43 

Western 23  22 


4,250 

12,095 

4,585 


$100,218 

148,425 

43,350 


1,265 
2,336 
1,163 


Total 


84        78       20930       $291,993       4,764 


THE  METHODISTS.  267 

15. — THE   FREE   METHODISTS. 

This  body  was  organized  in  1860  at  Pekin,  N.  Y.,  at  a 
convention  of  ministers  and  members  who  had  been  ex- 
pelled or  had  withdrawn  from  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  The  movement  arose  within  the  bounds  of  the 
Genesee  conference  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
over  differences  concerning  membership  in  secret  societies, 
other  questions  of  discipline,  and  the  emphasis  to  be  placed 
in  preaching  on  certain  doctrines,  particularly  sanctification. 
In  the  course  of  the  controversy  several  ministers  were 
tried  and  expelled  from  the  church  on  charges  of  contu- 
macy. A  number  of  laymen  were  also  excluded. 

The  new  organization  adopted  the  discipline  of  the 
mother  church  with  important  changes.  There  are  no 
bishops,  but  general  superintendents  are  elected  every  four 
years.  District  chairmen  take  the  place  of  presiding  elders. 
Persons  are  not  received  on  probation  simply  on  the  ex- 
pression of  "  a  desire  to  flee  the  wrath  to  come,"  but  are 
required  to  give  evidence  of  conversion.  Members  are 
required  to  "  lay  aside  gold,  pearls,  and  costly  array  "  and 
dress  plainly,  and  are  forbidden  to  join  secret  societies  or 
to  indulge  in  the  use  of  intoxicants  and  tobacco.  At- 
tendance at  class-meeting  is  a  condition  of  membership. 
Church  choirs  and  the  pew  system  are  not  approved.  Two 
new  numbers  were  added  to  the  Articles  of  Religion,  one 
setting  forth  the  doctrine  of  entire  sanctification,  which  is 
described  as  salvation  "  from  all  inward  sin,  from  evil 
thoughts  and  evil  tempers,"  and  as  taking  place  instanta- 
neously subsequently  to  justification.  The  second  pertains 
to  future  rewards  and  punishments.  There  are  quarterly, 
district,  annual,  and  general  conferences.  Laymen  are 
admitted  to  all  on  equal  terms  with  ministers.  The  aver- 


268    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

age  seating  capacity  of  the  edifices  is  266,  and  their  aver- 
age value  $1298.  There  are  439  halls,  with  a  seating 
capacity  of  48,285. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATUS. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Arkansas  

4 

2 

55° 

$750 

61 

California  

19 

II 

1,775 

14,000 

410 

Colorado  

22 

18 

3?i75 

IO,OOO 

203 

District  of  Columbia 

I 

7 

Illinois  

152 

112 

32,675 

156,050 

3,395 

Indiana  

42 

29 

8,950 

26,200 

673 

Indian  Territory  .  .  . 

I 

12 

Iowa  

III 

62 

13,829 

57,500 

2,117 

Kansas  

78 

19 

5,500 

18,750 

1,300 

Louisiana  

10 

4 

1,150 

1,200 

62 

Maryland  

I 

i 

200 

700 

31 

Massachusetts  

I 

- 

12 

Michigan  

I97 

US 

33,350 

107,815 

4,592 

Minnesota  

41 

9 

1,425 

4,350 

529 

Mississippi  

I 

29 

Missouri  

19 

ii 

1,720 

7,870 

325 

Nebraska  

37 

10 

2,925 

13,025 

486 

New  Jersey  

8 

4 

1,125 

11.275 

161 

New  York  

142 

114 

29,495 

243,950 

3,75i 

North  Dakota  

9 

.  .  . 

85 

Ohio  

54 

29 

10,300 

28,900 

897 

Oregon  

13 

6 

1,  800 

5,400 

188 

Pennsylvania  

46 

28 

6,950 

50,050 

1,158 

South  Dakota  

29 

3 

600 

3,600 

287 

Texas  

15 

6 

1,030 

5,500 

207 

Virginia  

i 

i 

150 

1,000 

28 

Washington  

8 

6 

1,850 

15,700 

240 

Wisconsin  

40 

20 

4,480 

21,500 

864 

Total 1,102      620     165,004      $805,085     22,110 


SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES. 


CONFERENCES. 

California 

Central  Illinois 

Colorado 

Dakota  . 


19 

II 

i,775 

$14,000 

410 

73 

53 

13,900 

41,300 

i,  800 

22 

18 

3,175 

10,000 

203 

31 

5 

900 

5,600 

308 

THE  METHODISTS. 


269 


SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES. — Continued. 


CONFERENCES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

East  Michigan  .... 

80 

38 

11,825 

$41,050 

I?792 

Genesee  

69 

6iJ* 

16,990 

126,450 

1,943 

Illinois  

58 

46 

14,275 

103,200 

1,188 

Iowa  

46 

3° 

8,200 

26,500 

1,003 

Kansas  

37 

10 

3,100 

12,250 

847 

Louisiana  

15 

6 

1,700 

1,950 

152 

Michigan  

54 

39 

9>325 

33,850 

1,168 

Minnesota        and 

North  Iowa  

4i 

10 

2,164 

12,350 

609 

Missouri  

18 

ii 

1,720 

7,870 

300 

Nebraska  

ii 

2 

275 

I,20O 

171 

New  York  

5° 

27 

6,425 

73,875 

962 

North  Indiana  

20 

12 

3,35° 

11,250 

317 

North  Michigan  .  . 

63 

38 

12,200 

32,915 

1,632 

North  Minnesota  .  . 

27 

6 

800 

750 

35i 

Ohio  

54 

29 

10,300 

28,000 

897 

Oregon  and  Wash- 

ington   

21 

12 

3,650 

2I,IOO 

428 

Pittsburg  

22 

13 

3,650 

24,350 

713 

Susquehanna  

59 

46^ 

10,855 

82,300 

i,53o 

Texas  

16 

6 

1,030 

5,500 

219 

Wabash  

43 

3° 

10,100 

26,500 

763 

West  Iowa  

5* 

29 

5,240 

28,450 

868 

West  Kansas      ,  ,  . 

61 

ii 

3,600 

10,125 

672 

Wisconsin  

40 

20 

4,480 

21,500 

864 

Total 1,102      620       165,004     $805,085    22,110 


1 6. — THE   INDEPENDENT   METHODISTS. 

These  consist  of  congregations  in  Maryland,  Tennessee, 
and  the  District  of  Columbia,  which  are  not  connected 
with  any  annual  conference.  They  are  members  of  an 
association  which,  however,  has  no  ecclesiastical  authority 
whatever.  Each  congregation  is  entirely  independent. 
There  is  I  hall,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  100. 


270    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 
SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
sations. 

Church 
edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com. 
muni, 
cants. 

District  of  Columbia 

I 

I 

175 

$175 

35 

Maryland      

17 

12 

7,OOO 

262   ""GO 

2,74.7 

*  o 

/  J^^ 

•"o**-/ 

Tennessee    

1 

I 

CTQ 

4  .coo 

187 

j  Jv 

,  J\S^l 

/ 

Total 15         14         7,725       $266,975       2,569 

I7. — THE   EVANGELIST   MISSIONARY    CHURCH. 

This  organization  of  Colored  Methodists  was  formed  in 
1886  by  ministers  and  members  in  Ohio  who  withdrew 
from  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion  Church  for 
various  reasons.  It  has  no  creed  but  the  Bible;  but, 
according  to  its  bishop,  it  inclines  in  belief  to  the  doctrine 
that  there  is  but  one  divine  person,  Jesus  Christ,  "  in  whom 
dwells  all  the  Godhead  bodily."  It  has  1 1  organizations, 
in  the  States  of  Ohio,  Illinois,  Michigan,  and  Wisconsin. 
Nine  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  2650,  are  occupied. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 

Organi-      Church  Se*tinS  YSue  £f  C°m" 

JF  TTJ-£  Ca-  Church  muni- 


. 

pacity.  Property.  cants. 

Illinois i           ..                ...  ....  180 

Michigan 6           2                850  $1,200  409 

Ohio 3            i                200  800  3 14 

Wisconsin i           . .                ...                  48 

Total ii           3             1,050  $2,000  951 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES  OF  ALL  METHODISTS. 

Alabama 2,271      2,284        620,970  $2,278,988  242,624 

Alaska 

Arizona 23           17            4,700  58,100  656 

Arkansas 1,709      i,493        375,622  1,200,842  123,316 

California 559        438        123,874  2,575,631  36,874 

Colorado 146         117          32,200  1,105,700  10,850 

Connecticut 239         235          72,582  2,225,730  30,815 

Delaware 247         258          65,940  1,116,125  25,786 


THE  METHODISTS. 


271 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES  OF  ALL  METHODISTS.— Continued. 


STATES. 

Organi- 

Zcitions. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Searing 
Ca- 

Value of 
Church 

Com- 
muni- 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

Dist.  of  Columbia 

62 

58 

37,925 

$1,543,000 

16,369 

Florida  

776 

816 

180,142 

829,551 

70,458 

Georgia  

2,406 

2,663 

735,033 

2,783,267 

275,784 

Idaho  

42 

30 

5,925 

74,200 

I,l62 

Illinois  

2,457 

2,229 

640,797 

7,807,118 

189,358 

Indiana  

1,901 

1,832 

529,600 

4,656,235 

179,613 

Indian  Territory  . 

351 

181 

33,no 

75,243 

11,601 

Iowa  

1,579 

1,387 

355,990 

3,602,860 

122,607 

Kansas  

1,529 

894 

219,839 

2,230,265 

95,78i 

Kentucky  

1,700 

1,408 

391,635 

2,718,518 

141,521 

Louisiana  

810 

780 

182,525 

1,134,992 

65,693 

Maine  

356 

290 

87,301 

1,152,875 

23,041 

Maryland  

i,34o 

1,324 

353,235 

5,347,527 

123,618 

Massachusetts  .  .  . 

422 

406 

163,472 

5,398,825 

61,138 

Michigan  

1,578 

1,198 

329,907 

4,144,427 

101,951 

Minnesota  

591 

448 

97,800 

1,764,493 

32,199 

Mississippi  

1,885 

i,935 

466,026 

1,652,269 

164,589 

Missouri  

2,412 

1,888 

518,301 

4,232,428 

162,514 

Montana  

74 

54 

11,805 

247,850 

2,425 

Nebraska  

738 

49° 

119,303 

1,336,475 

42,941 

Nevada  

12 

12 

2,700 

78,800 

418 

New  Hampshire  . 

134 

129 

40,505 

614,350 

12,354 

New  Jersey  

727 

707 

229,831 

5,500,640 

96,377 

New  Mexico  

60 

42 

8,025 

107,100 

2,360 

New  York  

2,563 

2,388 

723,349 

18,305,200 

265,551 

North  Carolina  .  . 

2,413 

2,335 

739,577 

2,418,984 

276,336 

North  Dakota  

140 

61 

11,100 

139,985 

4,889 

Ohio  

2,798 

2,713 

818,940 

9,600,820 

272,737 

Oklahoma  

51 

20 

4,650 

37,550 

2,029 

Oregon  

294 

199 

44,940 

693,275 

11,927 

Pennsylvania  .... 

2,536 

2,359 

732,641 

14,476,904 

260,388 

Rhode  Island  

52 

45 

20,335 

606,368 

7,353 

South  Carolina  .  . 

1,456 

1,709 

497,873 

1,658,182 

251,477 

South  Dakota  .  .  . 

306 

148 

33,174 

384,060 

12,116 

Tennessee  

2,443 

2,35i 

689,446 

3,491,360 

223,116 

Texas  

2,716 

1,940 

570,328 

2,677,391 

218,890 

Utah  

32 

29 

6,205 

223,650 

1,055 

Vermont  

234 

200 

57,076 

765,650 

17,527 

Virginia  

1,737 

1,646 

410,335 

2,910,853 

154,693 

Washington  

239 

171 

44,6i5 

763,175 

12,697 

West  Virginia  .  .  . 

1,543 

1,097 

274,891 

1,450,448 

85,102 

Wisconsin  

784 

672 

144,693 

1,889,200 

43,696 

Wyoming  

16 

12 

2,390 

52,700 

912 

Total 51.48946,138  12,863,178  $132,140,179  4,589,284 


CHAPTER   XXX. 

THE    MORAVIANS. 

THIS  is  the  name  by  which  the  members  of  the  Unitas 
Fratrum  are  generally  known.  The  Unitas  Fratrum,  or 
Unity  of  Brethren,  originated  in  Germany,  and  has  no 
connection  with  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ,  a  denomi- 
nation which  sprang  up  in  this  country  near  the  beginning 
of  the  present  century. 

The  Moravians  trace  their  rise  back  to  the  time  of  Huss. 
The  fruit  of  the  Huss  reformation  appeared  in  the  National 
Church  of  Bohemia.  The  Bohemian  Brethren  were  an 
organization  formed  within  the  Bohemian  Church,  pledged 
to  take  the  Bible  as  their  only  rule  of  faith  and  practice  and 
maintain  a  Scriptural  discipline.  The  Bohemian  Brethren 
were  persecuted  and  their  organization  was  overthrown  in 
Bohemia  and  Moravia,  but  it  was  resuscitated  in  1722-35, 
among  a  colony  of  refugees  from  Bohemia  and  Moravia, 
settled  on  the  estate  of  Count  Zinzendorf  in  Berthelsdorf, 
Saxony.  There  the  colony  built  the  town  of  Herrnhut, 
which  became  the  center  of  the  Renewed  Brethren. 

The  first  Moravians  who  came  to  the  United  States  set- 
tled  in  Georgia  in  1735,  the  year  when  the  first  bishop  of 
the  Renewed  Church  was  consecrated.  The  colony  left 

272 


THE  MORAVIANS.  273 

Georgia  five  years  later  and  founded  Bethlehem,  in  Penn- 
sylvania. At  Bethlehem,  and  also  at  Nazareth  and  Lititz, 
in  the  same  State,  Moravian  Church  settlements  were 
formed.  "The  lands  were  the  property  of  the  church, 
and  the  farms  and  the  various  departments  of  mechanical 
industry  were  stocked  by  it  and  worked  for  its  benefit. 
In  return  the  church  provided  the  inhabitants  with  all  the 
necessaries  of  life.  Whoever  had  private  means  retained 
them."  There  was,  however,  no  common  treasury,  and 
the  settlements  did  not  adopt  a  communal  life.  The 
economical  system  was  abolished  in  1762,  having  lasted 
twenty  years.  The  Brethren,  however,  continued  to  main- 
tain the  church  system  of  communal  government  until 
1844-56,  when  it  disappeared.  This  system,  in  a  modi- 
fied form,  is  still  maintained  in  Germany. 

The  Unity  of  Brethren  consists  of  three  provinces,  the 
German,  British,  and  American.  All  are  under  a  central 
government,  the  seat  of  which  is  in  Herrnhut,  Germany. 
There  is  a  general  synod,  which  meets  once  in  ten  years. 
It  consists  of  delegates  from  each  of  the  provinces  and  also 
from  the  various  foreign  mission  fields,  and  is  empowered 
"  to  consult  and  legislate  upon  those  matters  which  are  of 
general  import."  It  decides  as  to  all  questions  of  doc- 
trine, all  essential  points  of  the  liturgy,  all  fundamental 
rules  of  discipline,  conditions  of  membership,  nomination 
and  appointment  of  bishops,  etc.  In  the  interim  between 
its  meetings  it  is  represented  by  the  Unity's  Elders'  Con- 
ference, which  is  a  sort  of  executive  committee.  Each 
province  has  a  synod  of  its  own,  which  legislates  for  and 
controls  provincial  affairs. 

Bishops,  presbyters,  and  deacons  are  recognized  in  the 
ministry  of  the  Brethren.  Bishops  are  general,  not  dio- 


274    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES.   ' 

cesan,  in  character.  They  are  appointed  by  the  general 
synod  or  under  its  authority.  The  American  Province  has 
the  right  to  nominate  those  for  this  country.  Bishops  are 
members  of  the  general  synod  and  also  of  provincial  synods. 
They  are  chosen  almost  invariably  to  sit  on  provincial 
boards  and  in  the  Unity's  Elders'  Conference.  They  have 
the  exclusive  right  to  ordain  to  the  ministry.  Deacons 
are  those  who  assist  in  preaching  the  gospel,  administer- 
ing the  sacraments,  and  other  church  services.  When 
deacons  are  appointed  to  preside  over  congregations  they 
are  ordained  as  presbyters. 

The  lot  is  not  now  used  in  the  selection  of  bishops  and 
appointments  to  office.  Formerly  it  was  used  in  the  ap- 
pointment of  ministers  and  in  connection  with  marriage. 
Marriage  by  lot  was  abolished  by  the  general  synod  in 
1818,  and  it  is  long  since  it  was  used  in  the  United  States 
in  the  appointment  of  ministers. 

In  public  worship  a  liturgy  is  used.  In  addition  to  pre- 
scribed forms  for  baptism,  the  Lord's  Supper,  confirmation, 
ordination,  etc.,  there  is  a  litany  to  be  used  every  Sunday 
morning;  also  special  liturgical  services  for  ecclesiastical 
festivals.  Love-feasts  are  held  preparatory  to  the  Lord's 
Supper. 

The  Moravians  accept  the  Scriptures  as  the  only  rule  of 
faith  and  practice.  They  hold  that  it  is  not  for  them  to 
"  define  what  Scripture  has  left  undefined,  or  to  contend 
about  mysteries,"  such  as  the  Holy  Trinity  and  the  sacra- 
ments, "which  are  impenetrable  to  human  understanding." 
They  emphasize  the  doctrine  of  the  "  total  depravity  of 
human  nature  " ;  the  love  of  God  in  the  gift  of  his  Son  as 
the  Redeemer  of  the  world ;  the  real  Godhead  and  man- 
hood of  Christ;  the  atonement  and  satisfaction  made  by 


THE  MORAVIANS. 


275 


Christ  as  the  ground  for  forgiveness  of  sins ;  the  work  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  in  convicting  of  sin,  inspiring  faith  in 
Christ,  and  bearing  witness  of  adoption  as  children  of  God  ; 
the  fruits  of  faith  as  shown  in  willing  obedience  to  God's 
commandments.  Christ  is  the  center  of  Moravian  theol- 
ogy, and  his  death  is  proclaimed  as  "  made  of  God  unto  us 
wisdom  and  righteousness  and  justification  and  redemp- 
tion." 

The  Moravians  have  94  organizations,  scattered  among 
seventeen  States  and  the  Indian  and  Alaska  Territories. 
The  total  of  members  is  11,781.  Of  these,  4308  are  in 
Pennsylvania,  1734  in  North  Carolina,  and  1477  in  Wis- 
consin. In  no  other  State  are  there  as  many  as  900.  Half 
of  the  total  valuation  of  church  property,  $681,250,  is 
reported  for  the  24  edifices  in  Pennsylvania.  The  average 
seating  capacity  of  the  114  edifices  returned  for  the  de- 
nomination is  277,  the  average  value  $5975  ;  4  halls,  with 
a  seating  capacity  of  715,  are  occupied. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Alaska 

Organi- 
zations. 

2 

Church 
Edifices. 

2 

Scaring 
Ca- 
pacity. 

IOO 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

<tc  ooo 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

l6 

California  
Illinois  

I 
I 

I 
2 

IOO 

600 

700 
A.  OOO 

j" 

'2 
•536 

Indiana  
Indian  Territory  .  .  . 
Iowa  

2 
I 

3 

1,150 
150 

6c.o 

I7,600 
400 
A.  COO 

AF* 

346 
40 
IOI 

Kansas  

I 

2 

325 

2,?OO 

IO 

Maryland 

•3 

620 

•9    QCO 

T  en 

Michigan 

2 

2 

•37C 

Jjyj'-' 

A  CQO 

1  68 

Minnesota  
Missouri 

9 
"\ 

9 

•5 

•J/J 

1,480 

coo 

20,600 

c.  coo 

696 

CO 

New  Jersey. 

A 

4" 

800 

1*3,  coo 

174. 

New  York  

7 

IO 

2,?,oo 

127,200 

852 

North  Carolina  
North  Dakota  

13 

2 

20 
2 

6,750 
440 

58,900 
6,500 

1,734 
199 

276    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. — Continued. 


STATBS. 

Ohio 

Organi- 
zations.   1 

6 

Church      S"rinS 
£difices-      padty. 

6            2,200 
24            9,770 
I                2OO 

16        2,905 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$37,400 
340,400 
200 
27,900 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

822 
4,308 

45 
i,477 

11,781 

9,962 
1,819 

11.781 

Pennsylvania 

Virginia 

i 

Wisconsin  . 

IQ 

Total  

*Tf 

Q4         ] 

[14 

BY 

92 

22 

3I,6l5 

DISTRICTS. 

24,515 
7,100 

$681,250 

$621,750 
59,500 

DISTRICTS. 

Northern  

SUMMARY 

70 

Southern 

1C 

Total.. 

04       ] 

14 

11.61; 

$681,2*0 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

THE     PRESBYTERIANS. 

THE  Presbyterians  are  those  who  hold  to  a  system  of 
ecclesiastical  government  by  presbyters.  They  believe 
that  bishops  and  presbyters,  or  elders,  as  spoken  of  in  the 
New  Testament,  are  of  the  same  order,  being  different 
designations  for  the  same  office.  Bishops  were  presbyters 
in  charge  of  congregations.  Presbyters  both  taught  and 
governed.  They  were  both  in  and  over  the  congregations. 
The  Presbyterians  are  Calvinistic  in  doctrine.  The  Cum- 
berland Presbyterian  Church,  with  its  colored  branch,  holds 
to  a  modified  Calvinism,  rejecting  a  limited  atonement  and 
the  Westminster  statement  respecting  the  decrees ;  but  it 
is  considered  sufficiently  in  accord  with  what  is  called  the 
Reformed  system  to  be  admitted  to  membership  in  the 
council  of  the  Reformed  churches,  which  includes  the  Con- 
tinental Reformed  churches  and  their  branches,  as  well  as 
the  British,  American,  and  other  Presbyterian  bodies. 

The  Presbyterian  polity  provides  for  the  following  courts : 
the  session,  the  presbytery,  the  synod,  and  (usually)  the 
general  assembly,  and  recognizes  as  officers,  bishops  or 
pastors,  ruling  elders  and  deacons.  Candidates  are  or- 
dained to  the  ministry  and  installed  as  pastors  by  the  pres- 
bytery. There  is  but  one  order  in  the  ministry,  that  of 
presbyter.  Ruling  elders  are  laymen  chosen  by  congre- 

277 


278    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

gations  to  exercise  government  and  discipline  therein,  to- 
gether with  the  pastor.  Deacons  are  also  laymen  chosen 
by  congregations  to  care  for  the  poor,  raise  and  distrib- 
ute alms,  and  manage  the  temporal  affairs  of  the  church. 
Elders  and  deacons  are  ordained  by  ministers.  The  ses- 
sion is  the  court  of  the  congregation.  It  is  composed  of 
the  pastor  or  pastors,  and  the  ruling  elders.  The  pastor  is 
ex  officio  moderator.  The  session  is  charged  with  the  care 
of  the  spiritual  interests  of  the  church.  It  receives  mem- 
bers, inquires  into  their  conduct,  has  power  to  admonish 
or  suspend  them  for  offenses,  and  elects  representatives  to 
the  presbytery.  The  presbytery  consists  of  all  the  min- 
isters and  one  ruling  elder  from  each  church  within  its 
bounds.  It  has  power  to  entertain  and  decide  appeals 
from  church  sessions ;  examine  and  license  candidates  for 
the  ministry ;  ordain,  install,  remove,  and  judge  ministers ; 
decide  questions  of  discipline  and  doctrine  ;  unite  or  divide 
congregations,  or  receive  new  congregations ;  condemn  er- 
roneous opinions ;  and  in  general  to  care  for  the  welfare  of 
the  churches  within  its  limits.  The  synod  is  constituted  of 
delegates,  ministerial  and  lay,  elected  by  the  presbyteries 
belonging  to  it.  It  hears  and  decides  appeals  from  the 
presbyteries,  constitutes  new  presbyteries,  and  in  general 
exercises  supervision  over  presbyteries  and  sessions.  The 
general  assembly  is  the  supreme  legislative  and  judicial 
court  in  the  Presbyterian  system.  It  is  composed  of  com- 
missioners, ministerial  and  lay  (bishops  and  elders),  elected 
by  the  presbyteries.  It  receives  and  decides  appeals  from 
presbyteries  or  synods,  and  decides  all  questions  of  doc- 
trine and  discipline.  It  meets  yearly. 

There   are   twelve   Presbyterian  bodies  in  the  United 
States,  as  follows: 


THE  PRESBYTERIANS.  279 

1.  Presbyterian  Church  in  U.  S.  of  America  (Northern), 

2.  Cumberland  Presbyterian,  3.  Cumberland  Colored, 
4.  Welsh  Calvinistic  Methodist,  5.  United  Presbyterian, 

6.  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  (Southern), 

7.  Associate  Church  of  North  America, 

8.  Associate  Reformed  Synod  of  the  South, 

9.  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  (Synod), 

10.  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  in  N.  America  (General  Synod), 

11.  Reformed  Presbyterian  (Covenanted), 

12.  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  in  U.  S.  and  Canada. 

I. — THE   PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    IN   THE   UNITED 
STATES   OF   AMERICA. 

The  earliest  Presbyterian  churches  in  this  country  go 
back  to  the  first  half  of  the  seventeenth  century.  The 
elements  composing  them  were  chiefly  English  Puritans 
and  Scotch  and  Irish  immigrants.  On  Long  Island  a 
church  was  organized  as  early  as  1640  by  a  Puritan  min- 
ister named  John  Young.  Another  church  was  founded 
at  Hempstead  two  years  later.  Presbyterian  services  were 
held  on  Manhattan  Island  in  1643  by  Francis  Doughty, 
and  a  Presbyterian  church  was  established  at  New- 
ark, N.  J.,  in  1667.  The  claim  has  recently  been  ad- 
vanced that  the  oldest  Presbyterian  church  is  the  First 
Church  of  Norfolk,  Va.,  which  was  established  as  a  con- 
gregation on  Elizabeth  River  in  the  first  quarter  of  the 
seventeenth  century.  Rev.  Francis  Makemie,  generally 
regarded  as  the  father  of  American  Presbyterianism,  came 
to  this  country  in  1683  from  Ireland,  where  he  had  been 
a  member  of  the  Presbytery  of  Laggan.  He  organized  a 
Presbyterian  church  at  Snow  Hill,  Md.,  at  the  close  of  the 
century,  and  in  1 706,  with  John  Hampton,  an  Irishman,  and 
George  McNish,  a  Scotchman,  and  four  other  ministers — 
Jedediah  Andrews  (Philadelphia),  Nathaniel  Taylor  (Mary- 
land), and  Samuel  Davis  and  John  Wilson  (Delaware) — 


280    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 

organized  the  first  presbytery  in  America,  the  Presbytery 
of  Philadelphia.  The  last  four  were  Puritan  ministers  who 
had  come  from  New  England ;  Makemie  was  Scotch- Irish ; 
Hampton,  Irish;  and  McNish,  Scotch.  The  same  year 
this  presbytery  ordained  John  Boyd  at  Freehold,  N.  J. 

In  1716,  the  number  of  ministers  having  increased  to 
seventeen  and  covering  an  extensive  territory,  a  synod,  the 
Synod  of  Philadelphia,  was  formed,  and  the  presbytery 
was  divided  into  three  "  subordinate  meetings,  or  pres- 
byteries." In  1741  there  was  a  division  in  the  synod  in 
consequence  of  differences  respecting  subscription  to  the 
confession  of  faith  and  doctrines  and  practices,  which  an 
extensive  revival  movement  brought  into  prominence. 
Those  contending  for  a  strict  subscription  and  opposing 
what  they  regarded  as  errors  of  doctrine  in  the  revival 
movement  were  known  as  Old  Side,  and  the  other  party 
as  New  Side,  Presbyterians.  The  latter  organized  the 
Synod  of  New  York.  In  1758  the  two  bodies  were  re- 
united as  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia.  At 
the  opening  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  in  1775,  there  were 
in  connection  with  the  synod  1 7  presbyteries  and  1 70  min- 
isters. The  church  suffered  severely  in  the  war  for  inde- 
pendence, but  it  became  prosperous  after  peace  was  de- 
clared, and  in  1 788  the  synod  decided  to  organize  a  gen- 
eral assembly  with  four  synods.  It  revised  and  adopted 
the  Westminster  Confession  and  Larger  Catechism,  form 
of  government,  book  of  discipline,  and  directory  of  worship. 
The  first  meeting  of  the  general  assembly  was  held  in 
Philadelphia  in  1 789. 

Early  in  the  nineteenth  century  there  was  an  extensive 
revival  movement  in  the  Cumberland  Valley,  Tennessee. 
Differences  in  doctrine  and  practice  were  developed  by  this 


THE  PRESBYTERIANS.  28 1 

movement,  and  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church  was 
organized. 

In  1837,  a  little  more  than  a  century  after  the  division 
in  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia  into  Old  Side  and  New  Side 
Presbyterians,  the  church  was  again  divided  into  Old 
School  and  New  School  Assemblies,  chiefly  as  the  result 
of  doctrinal  differences  concerning  the  atonement,  whether 
it  was  general  or  for  the  elect  only,  and  of  differences  con- 
cerning creed  subscription  and  polity  and  discipline.  In 
1840  the  Old  School  body  had  about  126,583  communi- 
cants, and  the  New  School  102,060.  In  1869  the  two 
assemblies  agreed  to  a  reunion,  which  was  consummated 
in  the  same  year. 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War,  in  1861,  the  churches 
in  the  South  separated  from  the  churches  in  the  North, 
adhering  to  the  Old  School  Assembly.  The  Southern 
churches  adhering  to  the  New  School  Assembly  had  also 
separated  from  the  Northern  churches  belonging  to  the 
New  School  Assembly  in  1858  on  the  question  of  slavery. 
The  two  bodies  created  in  the  South  by  this  division  united 
in  1865  and  formed  what  is  popularly  known  as  the  South- 
ern Presbyterian  Church. 

The  church  in  the  North  has  grown  rapidly  since  the 
reunion  in  1869,  and  has  extended  into  the  South,  where 
it  has  organized  a  number  of  presbyteries,  chiefly  of  colored 
people.  It  is  represented  in  all  the  States  except  Missis- 
sippi, and  in  all  the  Territories,  including  the  District  of 
Columbia.  The  largest  number  of  communicants  reported 
for  a  single  State  is  161,386  in  Pennsylvania;  New  York 
comes  second,  with  154,083;  and  Ohio  is  third,  with 
82,444.  Though  there  are  more  communicants  in  Penn- 
sylvania by  7303  than  in  New  York,  the  value  of  the 


282     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 

church  property  in  the  latter  State  is  much  greater  than 
the  value  of  the  church  property  in  the  former.  While  the 
1086  edifices  in  Pennsylvania  have  an  aggregate  valuation 
of  $15,491,680,  the  932  edifices  in  New  York  have  an 
aggregate  of  $21,293,992.  Only  26  buildings  other  than 
churches  are  occupied  in  these  two  States.  The  total 
valuation  for  the  whole  church  is  $74,455,200,  indicating 
an  average  value  for  each  edifice  of  $i  1, 1 73.  The  average 
seating  capacity  is  334.  There  are  556  halls,  with  a  seat- 
ing capacity  of  57,805. 

The  general  assembly  of  1890  appointed  a  committee 
to  revise  the  Westminster  Confession,  so  as  to  soften,  with- 
out impairing  the  integrity  of  the  Calvinistic  system,  some 
of  its  expressions,  particularly  those  setting  forth  the  doc- 
trine of  preterition.  The  committee  reported  a  revised 
confession  to  the  general  assembly  of  1891,  and  the  draft 
was  sent  down  to  the  presbyteries  for  suggestions.  The 
revision  ultimately  failed. 

There  are  in  all  214  presbyteries,  of  which  18  are  in 
foreign  lands.  Of  the  196  in  this  country,  given  in  these 
tables,  that  of  New  York  reports  the  largest  number  of 
communicants,  23,873,  with  54  organizations  and  68  edi- 
fices, valued  at  $8,628,000.  The  second  presbytery  in 
numerical  order,  the  Central  Philadelphia,  has  38  organiza- 
tions and  46  edifices,  valued  at  $2,470,500,  and  17,600 
communicants.  The  Presbytery  of  Brooklyn  has  17,170 
communicants,  with  39  edifices,  worth  $1,536,927. 

There  are  thirty  synods,  of  which  two  are  foreign,  one 
being  in  India  and  one  in  China.  Synods  are  composed 
of  commissioners  chosen  by  the  presbyteries.  Within  a 
few  years  they  have  been  rearranged,  so  that  their  bound- 
aries correspond  with  those  of  the  various  States  as  far  as 


THE  PRESBYTERIANS. 


283 


possible.  There  are,  however,  notable  exceptions  to  this 
rule.  The  Synod  of  the  Atlantic  includes  South  Carolina, 
Georgia,  and  Florida ;  that  of  Catawba,  Virginia  and  North 
Carolina. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 

Value of 
Church 

Com- 
muni- 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

Alabama  

5 

4 

1,050 

$17,300 

152 

Alaska  

5 

4 

I,IOO 

7,750 

48l 

Arizona  

7 

3 

850 

13,900 

188 

Arkansas  

15 

12 

2,660 

26,450 

494 

California  

213 

172 

50,271 

1,696,725 

16,236 

Colorado  

74 

56 

H,595 

556,250 

5,902 

Connecticut  

7 

9 

3,800 

433,500 

i,  680 

Delaware  

32 

43 

14,970 

709,800 

4,622 

Dist.  of  Columbia 

15 

19 

IO,6OO 

900,000 

4,882 

Florida  

34 

28 

6,050 

322,000 

1,042 

Georgia  

16 

9 

3,ooo 

13,850 

Idaho  

19 

15 

2,275 

40,950 

'1i5 

Illinois  

472 

475 

158,181 

4,045,35° 

54,744 

Indiana  

308 

320^4 

104,143 

2,338,900 

35,464 

Indian  Territory  . 

70 

54 

8,018 

39,763 

1,803 

Iowa  

369 

347 

95,148 

1,503,400 

29,994 

Kansas  

370 

267^ 

69,929 

1,078,860 

24,050 

Kentucky  

82 

73 

25,045 

748,375 

6,917 

Louisiana  

i 

i 

300 

8,000 

7o 

Maine  

2 

3 

800 

8,000 

205 

Maryland  

77 

90 

33,020 

1,488,124 

'0,593 

Massachusetts  .  .  . 

18 

18 

10,125 

365,500 

3,570 

Michigan  

236 

230 

76,050 

2,214,636 

25,088 

Minnesota  

167 

154 

40,261 

1,292,670 

13,732 

Missouri  

207 

193 

54,8i5 

1,328,700 

17,272 

Montana  

24 

18 

4,150 

88,000 

1,232 

Nebraska  

228 

1$*1A 

34,901 

576,210 

12,159 

Nevada  

8 

4 

865 

11,400 

275 

New  Hampshire  . 

8 

9 

3,150 

34,800 

956 

New  Jersey  

300 

420 

169,357 

6,699,100 

58,759 

New  Mexico   .... 
New  York  

784 

17 
932 

2,815 
378,411 

45,675 
21,293,992 

1,275 
154,083 

North  Carolina  .  . 

109 

103 

26,650 

89,180 

6,516 

North  Dakota  .  .  . 

99 

48 

9,500 

126,425 

3,036 

Ohio  

618 

636 

223,553 

5,754,350 

82,444 

Oklahoma  

17 

9 

1,850 

14,000 

45o 

Oregon  

73 

61 

14,397 

416.500 

3,935 

Pennsylvania  .... 

939  i 

:,o86^ 

427,059 

15,491,680 

161,^86 

284    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. — Continued. 


Organi-    Church 
zations.    Edifices. 


Rhode  Island  . . 
South  Carolina 
South  Dakota  . 

Tennessee 

Texas 

Utah 

Vermont 

Virginia 

Washington  .  . . 
West  Virginia . 
Wisconsin 
Wyoming 


4 

77 

124 

Z 

20 
2 

19 
85 

44 


4 
67 
83 
7i# 


I9 
62 

40 


Seating 

Ca- 
pacity. 

1,385 
25,015 
13,966 


13,135 

34,204 

960 


Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$6l,000 
173,900 
156,940 
2l6,520 


212,975 


343,175 

308,200 

877,400 

52,250 


Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

608 
6,829 
4,413 
4,399 
2,8l2 

688 


4,275 

11,019 

364 


Total 6,717  6,664    2,225,044  $74,455,200  788,224 


SUMMARY  BY  PRESBYTERIES. 


PRESBYTERIES. 


Aberdeen 36 

Alaska 5 

Albany 51 

Allegheny 42 

Alton 41 

Arizona 7 

Athens 32 

Atlantic 20 

Austin 27 

Baltimore 54 

Bellefontaine  ....  25 

Benicia 40 

Binghamton 28 

Birmingham 5 

Bismarck 10 

Black  Hills 15 

Blairsville 36 

Bloomington  ....  55 

Boston 34 

Boulder 16 

Brooklyn 33 

Buffalo 42 

Butler 36 

Cairo 52 

Cape  Fear 30 


17 

3,085 

$34,575 

883 

4 

1,100 

7,750 

481 

63 

28,135 

1,133,670 

10,016 

46 

17,420 

672,600 

7,444 

43 

11,480 

182,500 

3>776 

3 

850 

13,900 

1  88 

7,oio 

105,250 

2,460 

18 

7,650 

72,000 

2,619 

18 

4,700 

113,850 

1,360 

64 

25,045 

1,243,324 

8,407 

23  1 

6,925 

104,900 

3,197 

7,610 

136,850 

1,970 

35 

13,359 

364,050 

4,745 

4 

1,050 

17,300 

152 

6 

1,500 

27,200 

189 

10 

i,545 

20,825 

250 

36 

13,925 

283,800 

6,169 

56 

16,010 

233,900 

5,704 

35 

I5,76o 

473,3oo 

5,569 

10 

2,575 

85,550 

39 

24,555 

1,536,927 

17)170 

So 

23,425 

1,383,950 

8,018 

34 

11,675 

135,800 

4,487 

48 

12,235 

H7,35o 

3,775 

26 

6,605 

27,450 

1,585 

THE  PRESBYTERIANS. 


285 


SUMMARY  BY  PRESBYTERIES. — Continued. 


Carlisle 

Catawba 

Cayuga  

Cedar  Rapids .... 
Central  Dakota  . . 

Champlain 

Chemung 

Cherokee  Nation. 

Chester 

Chicago 

Chickasaw 

Chillicothe 

Chippewa 

Choctaw 

Cincinnati 

Clarion 

Cleveland 

Columbia 

Columbus 

Council  Bluffs  .  . . 
Crawfordsville  .  . . 

Dakota 

Dayton 

Denver 

Des  Moines 

Detroit 

Dubuque  

Duluth 

East  Florida 

East  Oregon  .... 

Ebenezer 

Elizabeth 

Emporia 

Erie 

Fairfield 

Fargo  

Flint 

Fort  Dodge 

Fort  Wayne 

Freeport 

Genesee 

Geneva  

Grand  Rapids  . . . 


52 
35 
23 
36 
33 

20 
22 
28 
46 

73 

22 

% 

32 

61 
48 
26 

19 

29 

52 
57 

20 

39 

21 

54 
43 
36 

22 
15 

II 

32 

H 

40 
38 
42 

73 
27 
32 

22 
23 
17 


68 

26 

37 

20 
25 

?! 

58 

72 

12 

31 
2O 


46 

34 
24 
34 
48 
58 
19 
43 

52 
47 

% 

14 
13 

47 
58 

37o 
18 

I4 
61 

26 
32 

22j 
29 

16 


Seating 

Value  of 

Com- 

Ca- 

Church 

muni- 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

21,779 

$775,700 

7,751 

8,350 

25,250 

2,242 

10,130 

386,000 

4,453 

11,175 

2l6,250 

3,422 

3,375 

41,950 

1,242 

7,102 

236,000 

2,159 

7,650 

225,300 

2,33i 

2,867 

14,800 

727 

19,515 

544,700 

7,207 

37,935 

1,839,250 

I5,3o6 

2,650 

2O,OOO 

558 

10,225 

127,300 

3,836 

4,025 

102,975 

i,346 

3,286 

11,700 

641 

24,418 

1,186,500 

9,394 

14,985 

206,250 

4,588 

17,635 

871,250 

6,721 

7,060 

176,000 

2,112 

11,750 

282,700 

3,623 

n,903 

183,400 

4,066 

17,045 

322,900 

5,757 

2,475 

20,690 

1,083 

16,465 

600,300 

7,596 

4,255 

240,250 

2,502 

14,830 

225,325 

4,265 

22,320 

1,056,100 

8,488 

8,500 

138,100 

2,979 

3,i95 

49,700 

1,048 

3,550 

296,500 

589 

3,ooo 

33,ooo 

543 

8,725 

232,900 

2,624 

2i,734 

793,000 

7,782 

14,790 

207,650 

6,353 

25,925 

584,950 

9,415 

14,000 

86,750 

3,359 

3,415 

41,800 

1,071 

8,870 

116,075 

2,286 

14,685 

235,850 

4,824 

9,910 

308,300 

3,750 

10,644 

261,000 

4,057 

7,485 

200,150 

3,184 

12,430 

416,800 

4,896 

5,575 

115,800 

i,936 

286    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  PRESBYTERIES. — Continued. 


PRESBYTERIES.  £rgam-    Church 

Gunnison 1 1 

Hastings 52 

Highland 25 

Holston 30 

Hudson 43 

Huntingdon 72 

Huron 20 

Indianapolis 35 

Iowa 41 

Iowa  City 41 

Jersey  City 31 

Kalamazoo 21 

Kansas  City 41 

Kearney 36 

Kingston 21 

Kittanning 50 

Knox 16 

Lacka  wanna 93 

Lacrosse 10 

Lake  Superior  ...  20 

Lansing 21 

Larned 58 

Lehigh 46 

Lima 33 

Logansport 42 

Long  Island 26 

Los  Angeles 69 

Louisville 29 

Lyons 18 

McClelland 17 

Madison 40 

Mahoning 31 

Mankato 35 

Marion 28 

Mattoon 44 

Maumee 38 

Milwaukee 28 

Monmouth 47 

Monroe 19 

Montana 23 

Morris  and  Orange  41 

Muncie 24 

Muskogee 9 

Nassau 24 


'Vi«i«-_.Vt 

Seating 

Value  of 

Com- 

/nurcn 

Hifir^c 

Ca- 

Church 

muni- 

uinces. 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

12 

2,545 

$70,700 

628 

19 

4,170 

39,710 

1,972 

21 

6,530 

111,225 

2,26l 

26 

5,425 

41,650 

973 

48 

16,860 

479,500 

5,910 

92 

30,325 

676,550 

9,907 

22 

7,625 

2I4,IOO 

2,598 

38 

14,205 

482,100 

6,198 

41 

13,700 

224,225 

4,212 

41 

11,388 

157,050 

3,6l7 

40 

17,880 

978,700 

6,179 

20 

7,030 

163,000 

2,465 

39 

10,175 

280,200 

4,092 

23 

5,440 

69,400 

1,720 

16 

4,885 

88,720 

1,105 

52 

18,170 

278,080 

7,159 

9 

3,000 

13,850 

1,370 

98 

33,U2 

I,  III,  800 

10,936 

ii 

2,250 

63,000 

776 

21 

4,5i5 

128,750 

1,441 

20 

5,815 

175,500 

2,552 

37 

9,660 

l8l,6oO 

2,494 

58 

20,365 

657,550 

6,266 

30 

9,455 

238,700 

3,729 

38 

11,850 

273,100 

4,100 

37 

10,527 

199,950 

3,431 

57 

14,766 

448,900 

5,203 

26y2 

9,665 

399,725 

2,808 

21 

7,430 

161,345 

3,H3 

13 

3,365 

15,150 

851 

43 

9,775 

I90,8OO 

3,H3 

33 

11,950 

422,900 

5,484 

30 

6,624 

85,570 

2,013 

28 

7,995 

99,000 

2,678 

43/2 

12,130 

H3,30o 

3,7oo 

35 

13,985 

334,3oo 

3,966 

27K 

9,349 

390,200 

3,228 

61 

20,530 

39i,75o 

5,877 

22 

8,325 

195,911 

2,371 

18 

4,150 

88,000 

1,220 

59 

22,615 

1,103,600 

8,826 

23 

6,640 

140,500 

2,609 

9 

1,625 

8,188 

420 

35 

10,215 

255,700 

3,085 

THE  PRESBYTERIANS. 


287 


SUMMARY  BY  PRESBYTERIES. — Continued. 


PK.SBYTKRIES. 


Nebraska  City  ...  55 

Neosho  .........  64 

New  Albany  .....  54 

Newark  .........  29 

New  Brunswick!.  .  35 

Newcastle  .......  50 

Newton  .........  38 

New  York  .......  54 

Niagara  .........  20 

Niobrara  ........  38 

North  River  .....  28 

North  Texas  ____  17 

Northumberland  .  46 

Olympia  ........  32 

Omaha  .........  47 

Oregon  .........  45 

Osborne  ........  43 

Otsego  ..........  26 

Ottawa  .........  23 

Ozark  ...........  35 

Palmyra  ........  33 

Pembina  ........  46 

Peoria  ..........  38 

Petoskey  ........  19 

Philadelphia  .....  33 

Philadelphia  Cen- 

tral ...........  38 

Philadelphia 

North  ........  44 

Pittsburg  ........  6  1 

Platte  ...........  53 

Portsmouth  .....  34 

Pueblo  ..........  30 

Puget  Sound  .....  34 

Red  River  ......  22 

Redstone  .......  34 

Rio  Grande  .....  15 

Rochester  .......  45 

Rock  River  ......  36 

Sacramento  .....  33 

Saginaw  ........  31 

Saint  Clairsville  .  .  44 

Saint  Lawrence  .  .  30 

Saint  Louis  .....  49 


Seating 

Value  of 

Com- 

Edifkes. 

Ca- 
pacity. 

Church 
Property. 

muni- 
cants. 

47 

II,96l 

$205,600 

3,993 

53 

14,215 

149,750 

4,724 

63 

18,355 

253,900 

4,856 

44 

2I,90O 

1,557,820 

9,662 

53 

21,800 

865,800 

8,024 

63 

21,470 

936,100 

6,550 

ol 

20,258 
48,350 

385,530 
8,628,000 

5,874 
23,873 

21 

7,825 

224,700 

2,984 

25X 

4,350 

37,900 

1,188 

35 

13,040 

535,500 

5,528 

13 

2,070 

27,800 

731 

52 

17,278 

588,500 

5,927 

21 

5,700 

154,400 

1,407 

40 

8,980 

223,600 

3,286 

40 

9,297 

358,800 

2,960 

23^ 

3,844 

45,600 

981 

29 

9,420 

231,600 

2,992 

21 

6,415 

97,600 

2,042 

29 

7,915 

116,750 

2,113 

30 

7,745 

85,700 

2,094 

20 

4,105 

53,725 

1,608 

41 

14,295 

351,800 

4,518 

15 

3,415 

44,700 

746 

42 

36,925 

2,628,OOO 

13,344 

46   35,280  2,470,500  17,600 


I8 

63 
51 
31 
23 
23 
17 

48 

5 

57 
36 


23,135 
29,355 
13,455 
12,050 

5,970 
5,225 
2,950 


32 
45 
32 
48 


840 
22,525 

11,220 
6,260 

9,385 
15,185 
12,910 
16,525 


1,059,800 
1,603,900 
141,500 
182,900 
205,800 
122,325 
32,200 
293,850 
19,100 
932,400 
221,000 
145,625 
204,300 
229,600 
323,500 
724,550 


8,450 

14,092 

3,132 

3,437 

1,886 

1,510 

816 

4,447 

392 

10,565 

1,367 
2,611 
6,219 

3,978 

6,011 


RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  PRESBYTERIES. — Continued. 


PRESBYTERIES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Saint  Paul  

64 

69 

23,419 

$I,047?600 

8,391 

San  Francisco  .  .  . 

35 

31 

I3>17<> 

786,500 

5,178 

San  Jose  

24 

21 

5,430 

110,250 

1,902 

Santa  Fe  

24 

12 

1,975 

26,575 

883 

Schuyler  

42 

44 

12,172 

227,OOO 

3,922 

Shenango  

26 

29 

10,915 

179,750 

5,270 

Solomon  

48 

32 

7,155 

90,025 

2,551 

Southern  Dakota  . 

28 

23 

4,151 

43,800 

1,169 

Southern  Oregon  . 

13 

10 

2,525 

28,700 

538 

Southern  Virginia 

12 

ii 

2,690 

15,075 

522 

South  Florida  .  .  . 

J9 

14 

2,500 

25,500 

453 

Spokane  

15 

n 

2,110 

50,650 

639 

Springfield  

36 

38^ 

13,645 

370,650 

4;463 

Steuben  

26 

26^ 

8,710 

247,400 

3,242 

Steubenville  

61 

64 

22,875 

351,250 

7,557 

Stockton  

20 

15 

3,900 

80,000 

891 

Syracuse  

42 

43 

16,985 

766,400 

6,399 

Topeka  

49 

43 

13,735 

293,010 

4,686 

Transylvania  .... 

27 

21 

6,655 

H5,750 

1,485 

Trinity  

18 

14 

3,055 

31,200 

791 

Troy  

44 

53 

19,375 

8l2,IOO 

7,980 

Union  

32 

35 

9,125 

90,500 

2,464 

Utah  

21 

32 

5,330 

218,975 

753 

Utica  

47 

51 

20,158 

715,450 

7,410 

Vincennes  

32 

34 

10,913 

300,900 

3,483 

Walla  Walla  .... 

12 

13 

2,550 

24,850 

773 

Washington  

38 

39 

'7,355 

428,400 

7,4o6 

Washington  City. 

27 

33 

13,775 

948,500 

5,558 

Waterloo  

35 

33 

8,842 

122,200 

2,583 

Wellsboro  

16 

18 

4,970 

89,200 

1,059 

Westchester  

36 

49 

16,750 

1,173,100 

6,852 

West  Jersey  

47 

67 

22,640 

622,900 

6,535 

Westminster  .... 

29 

42 

14,805 

4OI,OOO 

5,Hi 

West  Virginia  .  .  . 

29 

25 

6,305 

111,200 

1,696 

White  River  

7 

4 

1,100 

5,525 

231 

White  Water  .... 

37 

40^ 

15,225 

257,200 

4,7H 

Winnebago  

37 

38 

9,405 

140,425 

2,722 

Winona  

25 

23 

4,273 

82,IOO 

1,490 

Wood  River  

9 

7 

1,050 

27,900 

150 

Wooster  

39 

37 

n,730 

151,400 

4,54i 

Yadkin  

38 

37 

io,745 

30,980 

2,55i 

Zanesville  

46 

48 

16,275 

252,000 

5,408 

Total 6,717   6,664    2,225,044   $74,455,200  788,224 


THE  PRESBYTERIANS.  289 

2. — THE   CUMBERLAND    PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH. 

The  body  owes  its  existence  to  a  revival  which  began 
among  the  Presbyterian  churches  within  the  bounds  of  the 
Presbytery  of  Transylvania,  Ky.,  in  1800.  The  awakening 
was  first  manifested  in  the  congregation  of  the  Rev.  James 
McGready,  at  Gasper  River,  Logan  County,  and  soon  ex- 
tended throughout  the  Cumberland  Valley,  in  Kentucky 
and  Tennessee.  Existing  congregations  were  enlarged 
and  new  congregations  organized,  and  there  being  a  lack 
of  regular  ministers  to  supply  all  the  pulpits,  men  were 
received  from  the  laity  and  licensed  by  the  presbytery, 
without  the  full  literary  qualifications  required.  Some  of 
the  ministers  looked  upon  the  revival  with  disfavor,  and 
opposed  the  licensing  and  ordaining  of  laymen  to  preach, 
and  members  of  the  revival  party  were  cited  to  appear 
before  the  synod  to  answer  to  a  complaint  that  the  Cum- 
berland Presbytery,  which  had  been  formed  out  of  the 
Transylvania  Presbytery,  and  to  which  they  then  mostly 
belonged,  had  committed  irregularities.  The  synod  ulti- 
mately decided  to  dissolve  the  Cumberland  Presbytery, 
suspend  some  of  its  ministers,  and  attach  its  ministers  and 
members  to  the  Transylvania  Presbytery.  The  outcome 
of  the  matter  was  the  organization  of  an  independent  pres- 
bytery in  1810,  which  was  called  the  Cumberland  Presby- 
tery. The  new  body  grew  rapidly,  and  was  divided  into 
three  presbyteries  in  1813.  The  same  year  the  Cumber- 
land Synod  was  constituted.  The  synod  authorized  an 
expression  of  dissent  from  the  teaching  of  the  Westminster 
Confession  as  to  reprobation,  a  limited  atonement,  infant 
salvation,  and  the  calling  of  the  elect  only.  The  new 
church  was  rapidly  extended.  In  1822  it  had  46  ordained 


290    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

ministers;  in  1827,  114.  Two  years  later  a  general  as- 
sembly was  constituted. 

In  polity,  the  Cumberland  Church  is  distinctively  Pres- 
byterian, differing  little  from  other  Presbyterian  branches. 
Its  doctrines  are  embodied  in  a  confession  of  faith,  consist- 
ing of  twenty- eight  articles.  It  follows  the  Westminster 
Confession  except  as  to  the  doctrines  of  the  decrees.  It 
is  claimed  that  it  represents  the  medium  between  Calvinis- 
tic  and  Arminian  theology.  It  acknowledges  the  sover- 
eignty of  God,  and  declares  the  free  agency  of  man.  The 
atonement  of  Christ  was  made  for  all  mankind,  but  only 
those  who  yield  to  the  influences  of  the  Spirit,  which  are 
coextensive  with  the  atonement,  will  be  saved.  The  sal- 
vation of  those  who  thus  yield  is  certain,  because  both 
divine  and  human  agency  cooperate  to  that  end  The 
elect  are  those  who  believe  on  the  Son,  and  the  date  of 
election  is  the  beginning  of  regeneration  and  adoption — 
that  is,  when  men  are  regenerated  they  are  elected  to 
eternal  life,  and  will  finally  persevere,  not  by  virtue  of 
God's  election  alone,  but  by  the  concurrent  choice  of  both 
God  and  the  believer.  No  truly  regenerated  man  will  ever 
finally  fall  away.  Grace  is  not  "irresistible."  It  may  be 
accepted  or  rejected.  If  accepted,  it  is  the  cause  of  elec- 
tion ;  if  rejected,  of  reprobation.  Election  is  therefore  not 
unconditional,  either  to  honor  or  dishonor.  The  divine 
decrees  are  regarded  as  immutable,  but  not  as  universal. 

The  Cumberland  Church  4s  not  represented  in  many  of 
the  Northern  States.  Its  chief  strength  lies  in  the  States 
of  the  border.  In  Tennessee  it  has  39,477  members;  in 
Missouri,  23,990;  in  Texas,  22,297;  anc*  m  Kentucky, 
15,458.  In  these  four  States  three  fifths  of  the  member- 
ship of  the  church  is  found.  The  whole  number  of  organ- 


THE  PRESBYTERIANS. 


291 


izations  is  2791;  church  edifices,  2024;  seating  capacity, 
669,507  ;  value  of  church  property,  $3,5 15, 5 1 1 ;  members, 
164,940.  The  average  seating  capacity  of  church  edifices 
is  330  and  the  average  value  $1751.  There  are  536  hallst 
with  a  seating  capacity  of  84,588. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi-    Church 
zations.  Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Alabama  

...        I58 

137 

41,931 

$187,705 

7,390 

Arkansas  

...       300 

178 

57,735 

158,250 

12,282 

California  

37 

291A 

7,100 

69,450 

1,496 

Colorado  

5 

5 

980 

19,300 

231 

Florida  

6 

i 

20O 

200 

88 

Georgia  

15 

12 

3,300 

8,550 

598 

Illinois  

...      198 

183 

58,960 

313,985 

Indiana  

42 

53 

18,075 

l6o,700 

4,826 

Indian  Territory 

•••       53 

30 

8,550 

11,645 

1,229 

Iowa  

24 

23 

5,650 

34,550 

1,167 

Kansas  

68 

25 

6,350 

55,300 

2,386 

Kentucky  

...     213 

185 

65,350 

254,600 

15,458 

Louisiana  

23 

16 

5,300 

12,050 

868 

Mississippi  

•••      135 

116 

36,409 

108,650 

6,353 

Missouri  

•  •  -     393 

271 

98,096 

571,363 

23,990 

Nebraska  

7 

4 

79° 

10,000 

416 

Ohio  

22 

22 

6,600 

60,500 

2,602 

Oregon  

23 

10 

3,365 

22,200 

897 

Pennsylvania  .  .  . 

52 

48^ 

18,050 

257,500 

6,210 

Tennessee  

...      529 

464 

149,471 

745,605 

39,477 

Texas  

...     476 

2O5  >£ 

75,395 

436,108 

22,297 

Washington 

ii 

4X 

15,300 

470 

West  Virginia.  . 

i 

i 

300 

2,000 

32 

Total  

.  .  .   2,791  2 

,024 

669,507  ! 

£3,5I5,5H 

164,940 

SUMMARY 

BY  PRESBYTERIES. 

PKESBYTERIES. 

Alabama  

27 

24 

6,925 

$18,380 

1,081 

Albion  

...       16 

17 

5,075 

19,785 

1,299 

Allegheny  
Anderson  

19 
28 

17 

27 

4,900 
10,950 

52,400 
33,700 

i,576 
1,867 

Arkansas  

•••       39 

21 

7,200 

30,500 

2,139 

Atchison  

7 

*y* 

750 

3,200 

249 

292     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  PRESBYTERIES. — Continued. 


PRESBYTERIES. 

Athens  

Bacon  

Bartholomew  .... 

Bell 

Bonham  

Buffalo  Gap 

Burrow 

California 

Charlotte 

Chattanooga  .... 

Cherokee 

Chillicothe 

Choctaw 

Colesburg 

Colorado 

Corsicana 

Cumberland 

Dallas 

Davis 

Decatur 

East  Louisiana . . . 
East  Tennessee  . . 

Eden 

Elk 

Ewing,  Ark 

Ewing,  111 

Florida 

Foster 

Georgia 

Greenville 

Gregory 

Guadalupe 

Guthrie 

Hopewell 

Illinois 

Indiana 

Iowa 

Kansas 

Kentucky 

King 

Kirksville 

Knoxville 

Lebanon  . . 


Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

seating 

pacity. 

II 

12 

3,600 

11 

II 
20 

6,400 
6,500 

25 

17 

4,625 

27 

nX 

3,675 

15 

3 

1,000 

31 

21 

7,350 

15 

14/2 

3,150 

34 

28 

8,600 

39 

23^ 

7,000 

15 

4 

1,300 

28 

*7  /£ 

5,175 

24 

24 

6,850 

6 

6 

1,200 

19 

6>£ 

1,650 

33 

16 

7,800 

22 

7,675 

23 

15^ 

5,450 

15 

I4/£ 

3,925 

23 

20 

6,100 

10 

8 

2,300 

27 

21 

7,850 

10 

4 

800 

53 

50^ 

17,685 

30 

28 

12,000 

27 

27X 

7,050 

6 

/2 

200 

24 

7,675 

21 

8 

4,850 

23 

9 

2,900 

30 

i 

800 

27 

9 

850 

58 

19 

6,100 

44 

39 

12,000 

23 

16 

6,700 

19 

26/2 

9,125 

ii 

12 

2,600 

23 

12 

2,300 

16 

12 

3,6oo 

43 

12 

2,650 

3i 

23 

6,740 

33 

28^ 

7,200 

42 

42 

13,650 

Value  of 

Church 

Property. 

$22,400 

32,800 

6,750 

14,100 

24,150 

5,750 
21,950 
30,400 
23,265 
56,300 

5,550 
18,613 

4,945 
14,600 
10,900 
31,500 
15,800 
46,400 
28,050 
36,400 

3,250 
37,250 
10,500 
80,250 
22,700 
26,900 

200 

45,200 

12,450 

1 1, 800 

8,608 
16,550 

31,950 

48,850 

10,550 

118,500 

13,150 
24,300 
29,900 
18,450 
31,850 
45,050 
144,800 


Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

I,O22 
966 
911 

1,158 

1,485 
788 

1,032 
485 

i,354 

2,139 
466 

i,443 
446 


1,642 
2,158 

i,777 
1,261 
1,770 

319 
2,033 

33i 
5,713 
1,814 

2,684 
88 

2,015 

908 

746 

998 

952 

2,250 

3,450 

1,141 

2,767 

544 

83i 

1,262 

i,574 
1,784 
2,162 
4.592 


THE  PRESBYTERIANS. 


293 


SUMMARY  BY  PRESBYTERIES.— Continued. 


PRESBYTERIES. 

Lexington  

Organi- 
zations. 

6c 

Church 
Edifices. 

CT 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

17  78l 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

4,220 

Little  River  

2! 

D1 

-3  gco 

I  I.OCO 

I,OO2 

Losran 

41 

1  1    IOO 

c6  7OO 

Louisiana 

IO 

7" 

2600 

77OO 

'    °2 

McGee     .  .    . 

7O 

23 

71    IOO 

2   1  06 

McG  ready  .... 

18 

c  6;6 

I7.7OO 

^,iyu 
I  O78 

McLin  
McMinnviile  
Mackinaw   

16 

J7 

'3 
IT. 

5,500 
9,500 

14,250 

48,  loo 

7C    8OO 

794 

2,055 

1.247 

Madison  

4O 

36 

7.2C.O 

J5,ow\j 
2O  7OO 

2,4C7 

Marshall  
Mayfield  

23 
70 

15 

2Q 

4,825 
I  I,4OO 

43,600 
22  7OO 

978 
2,  IOO 

Memphis 

2C 

8  460 

IOC   COO 

I  744 

Miami  
Mississippi  
Morgan  
Mound  Prairie  .  .  . 
Muskingum  ..... 
Nebraska  

7 
27 

H 
28 

4 
7 

7 
25 
17 
17 

3 

4 

2,000 

5,350 
6,450 

4,450 

1,000 

7QO 

28,000 
6,150 
20,500 
13,700 
IO,IOO 
IO  OOO 

1,271 

929 
1,242 
1,178 
309 

416 

Neosho  

26 

7,  ICQ 

16  QCO 

1,188 

New  Hope  
New  Lebanon  .  .  _ 
Nolin 

48 
32 

27 

43 
30 
17 

17,956 
15,600 

6.1OO 

45,000 
89,100 
8  coo 

2,540 
2,735 

1,477 

Obion 

4.7 

7C 

l6,8oo 

41  600 

7.,  7,  17 

Oregon  
Ouachita  
Owensboro  

9 
15 

IO 

1,500 

2,385 

4,  coo 

6,400 

2,425 

469 
1,770 

Oxford  

26 

22 

6.QOO 

36,550 

I,IC4 

Ozark  

71 

21 

6,QCO 

28,800 

1,027 

Parsons  
Pennsylvania  .... 
Platte  

2O 

23 
CQ 

4 

72 

1,  800 

8,850 

1  1,4.00 

5,900 
119,100 
47   7,  CO 

733 

2,755 
2,287 

Princeton  

16 

1C 

7,  CCQ 

2C,7CO 

1,568 

Red  Oak  

77 

C,CQO 

6l,4OO 

2,048 

Red  River  

12 

2I,3OO 

1,610 

Republican  Valley 

7 

205 

Richland     .    ... 

CQ 

58 

13,51  1 

C7.I7C 

4,i«;8 

Robert  Donnell  .  . 
Rocky  Mountain  . 
Rushville  
Sacramento  ..... 
Saint  Louis  
Salem  . 

43 
5 
ii 
8 

2 
IK 

38 
5 
9 
7 

2 

7*A 

11,500 
980 
3,400 

2,200 

1,400 

2,7*0 

49,575 
19,300 
14,700 
19,300 
80,000 
7,200 

^   3« 
2,148 

231 
540 
4i5 
305 
6cc 

294    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  PRESBYTERIES. — Continued. 


PRESBYTERIES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Searing 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Salt  River  

33 

23 

8,250 

$55,550 

2,840 

Sangamon  

26 

26 

6,710 

50,400 

1,575 

San  Jacinto  

8 

3 

800 

I5>550 

215 

San  Saba  

18 

6 

1,850 

13,450 

594 

Searcy  

30 

16 

5,000 

21,900 

1,207 

Sparta  

44 

34 

16,765 

27,665 

3,583 

Springfield  _ 

19 

13 

2,575 

29,200 

1,095 

Springville  ...... 
Talladega  

3° 

29 

30 
18 

9>55o 
4>35o 

83,900 
16,350 

1,419 
1,169 

Tehuacana  

16 

7X 

2,920 

9,400 

818 

Texas  

16 

16 

6,900 

15,550 

726 

Trinity  

15 

ii 

4,950 

11,850 

809 

Tulare  

J4 

8 

i,75o 

19,750 

596 

Union  

ii 

ii 

4,600 

88,000 

1,911 

Vandalia  

19 

19 

6,800 

60,000 

1,117 

Wabash  

9 

10 

2,500 

21,700 

817 

Waco  

IS 

10 

2,800 

9,600 

791 

Walla  Walla  

17 

7 

2,415 

21,300 

742 

Washington  

23 

6 

1,300 

7,600 

905 

West  Iowa  « 

7 

5 

1,850 

6,800 

238 

West  Plains  

12 

6 

2,600 

6,000 

362 

West  Prairie  

21 

9 

3,075 

8,800 

684 

White  River  

35 

27^ 

8,800 

11,925 

1,178 

Wichita  

19 

4^ 

2,000 

11,300 

728 

Willamette  

8 

4 

1,000 

9,800 

360 

Yazoo  .  .  

20 

19 

5,534 

12,650 

1,067 

Total 2,791    2,024      669,507    $3,5I5,5H     164,940 


3. — THE   CUMBERLAND    PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH, 
COLORED. 

This  body  was  organized  in  May,  1 869,  at  Murfreesboro, 
Tenn.,  under  the  direction  of  the  general  assembly  of  the 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church.  It  was  constituted  of 
colored  ministers  and  members  who  had  been  connected 
with  that  church.  Its  first  presbytery,  the  Huntsville,  was 
formed  in  1870,  its  first  synod,  the  Tennessee,  in  1871,  and 


THE  PRESBYTERIANS. 


295 


its  general  assembly  in  1874.  It  has  the  same  doctrinal 
symbol  as  the  parent  body,  and  the  same  system  of  gov- 
ernment and  discipline,  differing  only  in  race. 

It  has  23  presbyteries,  and  is  represented  in  nine  States 
and  one  Territory.  Of  its  224  organizations,  34  only  wor- 
ship in  buildings  which  they  do  not  own.  There  are 
12,956  communicants,  and  the  total  value  of  the  church 
property  is  $195,826,  making  an  average  of  $1070  to  each 
edifice.  The  average  seating  capacity  is  285.  There  are 
34  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  3570. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Alabama  , 

Organi- 
zations. 

44 

Church 

Edifices. 

4 
3 

4 
9 

72 

22 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

9,574 

1,300 
650 
7,730 
950 

3,425 
24,125 

6,160 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$26,200 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

3,104 

190 
1,421 
278 

471 
100 
5,202 
1,740 

Arkansas  

.  .  .            2 

Illinois     

7 

5,375 
15,000 

31,645 
17,900 

6 

Kentucky  

-?6 

Mississippi    .... 

4. 

Missouri  , 

.  .  .         IO 

Oklahoma  

.  .  .         4 

Tennessee  , 

81 

88,660 

9,221 

Texas  

Total 224       183       52,139       $195,826     12,956 


SUMMARY  BY  PRESBYTERIES. 


PRESBYTERIES. 


Alabama  
Angelina 

7 

5 

1,850 

$4,150 
2  •a  Co 

925 

A  -1C 

Arkansas 

2 

,75 

*)3}^ 

T-J> 

2C.C. 

Bowling  Green  .... 
Brazos  River  

5 

4 
7 

950 

2  I7O 

6,600 

2,8o6 

Z5 

365 
712 

Cumberland   

13 

IO 

2.7CO 

7.OIO 

/H4 

030 

East  Texas  

14, 

IO 

2,24.0 

•7,Q7C 

CO? 

Elk  River    

II 

3,7OO 

IO,  IOO 

3VJ 
62C. 

Farmington  
Florence 

14, 

7 

14. 

2,625 

8,960 

IO.3CO 

T"3 

670 

714. 

Green  River.  . 

8 

7 

I  680 

810 

I<J7 

296    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  PRESBYTERIES. — Continued. 


PRESBYTERIES. 

Hartsville  

Organi- 
zations. 

c 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

4.CO 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$1   5OO 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

T-3-I 

Hiwassee     

12 

1  1 

2.7OO 

IO  125 

ljj 
4.OO 

Hopewell  

IO 

3.3CO 

HCQO 

C7Q 

Huntsville  

18 

1C 

2,02? 

8  500 

'* 

I,  IOO 

Mississippi  

4" 

QCQ 

1,825 

278 

New  Hope  

12 

13 

4,7OO 

10,500 

610 

New  Middleton  
Oklahoma  

16 

A 

II 

2,775 

8,300 

1,047 

IOO 

Pleasant  Hill  

t 

4" 

I.7OO 

0,2OO 

•2Q5 

Springfield  

C 

c 

1  ,2OO 

l6,AOO 

T?8 

Topeka         

\ 

65O 

I  C.OOO 

IOO 

Walter     

26 

24. 

•>v 

8,-i2<; 

70,775 

iyw 
1,784. 

Total 224       183       52,139       $195,826     12,956 


4. — THE   WELSH   CALVINISTIC   METHODIST   CHURCH. 

Historically  this  body  is  a  part  of  the  general  Methodist 
movement  of  which  the  two  Wesleys  and  Whitefield  were 
the  leaders  in  Great  Britain.  Doctrinally  it  is  Calvinistic, 
its  confession  of  faith  being  similar  to  that  of  Westminster. 
Until  1811  the  Calvinistic  Methodists  in  Wales  were  con- 
nected with  the  Church  of  England,  as  the  followers  of 
Wesley  in  England  had  been.  Since  that  date  they  have 
been  a  distinct  denomination. 

The  first  Welsh  Calvinistic  Methodist  Church  in  this 
country  was  organized  in  1826  in  Remsen,  N.  Y.  Four 
years  later  a  presbytery  was  constituted.  A  general  as- 
sembly, which  meets  once  in  three  years,  was  organized  in 
1869.  The  church  system  is  very  similar  to  that  of  the 
Presbyterian  churches,  with  which  it  affiliates.  There  are 
six  synods,  as  follows :  Synod  of  New  York  and  Vermont, 
Synod  of  Ohio,  Synod  of  Pennsylvania,  Synod  of  Wiscon- 
sin, Synod  of  Minnesota,  and  the  Western  Synod. 


THE  PRESBYTERIANS. 


297 


There  are  1 9  presbyteries.  The  number  of  organizations 
is  187,  with  12,722  communicants.  The  average  seating 
capacity  of  the  churches  is  235,  and  their  average  value 
$3303.  There  are  14  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of 
1266. 

The  Welsh  are,  of  course,  the  constituency  of  the  church, 
and  the  Welsh  language  is  used  in  its  services  and  in  the 
proceedings  of  its  ecclesiastical  judicatories. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Colorado I 

Illinois i 

Iowa 8 

Kansas 5 

Minnesota 13 

Missouri 6 

Nebraska 7 

New  York 28 

Ohio 31 

Pennsylvania 34 

South  Dakota 6 

Vermont 6 

Wisconsin 41 


Church 

Edifices. 


I 

7 

4 

13 

4 

28 

34 

33 

4 

5 

52 


Seating 

Ca- 
pacity. 

200 
700 

1,220 
850 

3,705 

555 
780 

6,370 
8,050 

10,000 

730 

M75 
10,110 


Value  of 

Church 

Property. 

$8,000 

2O,OOO 

7,650 

3,650 

34,500 

2,500 

6,800 


153,700 

4,200 

15,500 

114,500 


Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

I56 

348 
H5 

1,166 

154 

267 

1,789 

2,463 

2,461 

306 

i31 
2,641 


Total 187       190       44,445       $625,875      12,722 


SUMMARY  BY  PRESBYTERIES. 


PRESBYTERIES. 


Columbus 12  12  3,460  $69,875  1,242 

Dodgeville 5  7  1,525  17,800  271 

Eastern    New   York 

and  Vermont 8  8  1,825  26,500  701 

First  Kansas 5  4  850  3,650  115 

First  Minnesota 10  10  2,555  22,500  766 

Jackson n  14  2,770  18,600  855 

Lacrosse 3  3  550  5,200  166 

Lime  Spring 5  4  1,210  12,800  465 

Long  Creek 6  6  1,160  6,850  283 

Missouri 6  4  555  2,500  154 


298    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  PRESBYTERIES. — Continued. 


PRESBYTERIES. 

Nebraska 

New  York  City 

North  Pennsylvania. 

Oneida 25 

Pittsburg 12 

South  Dakota 

Southern     Pennsyl- 
vania   

Waukesha 13 

Welsh  Prairie  . . 

Total 187       190       44,445       $625,875      12,722 


Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

8 

5 

980 

$14,800 

423 

i 

i 

550 

70,000 

350 

23 

21 

7,111 

98,900 

1,707 

25 

24 

5,i7o 

62,300 

1,169 

12 

13 

3,270 

6l,700 

721 

6 

4 

730 

4,200 

306 

7 

7 

i,439 

l6,20O 

399 

13 

15 

3,495 

66,900 

i,309 

21 

28 

5,240 

44,600 

1,320 

5. — THE   UNITED   PRESBYTERIANS. 

This  body  is  not  historically  connected  with  the  United 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Scotland,  though  it  was  formed  in 
a  similar  way  and  of  similar  elements.  The  Scottish  body 
was  organized  in  1847  of  Secession  or  Associate  Burgher, 
and  Relief  Presbyterians.  The  American  branch  was  con- 
stituted in  1858  of  Associate  and  Associate  Reformed 
Presbyterians.  The  Associate  Presbyterians  included  both 
Burghers  and  Secession  Presbyterians,  and  the  Associate 
Reformed,  Associate  and  Reformed  Presbyterians.  All 
these  divisions  were  brought  to  the  United  States  by 
Scotch  immigrants.  In  1858  most  of  the  Associate  and 
Associate  Reformed  Presbyterians  agreed  to  unite,  and 
the  United  Presbyterian  Church  in  North  America  was 
the  result.  A  number  of  each  of  the  bodies,  however,  re- 
fused to  enter  the  union,  and  hold  still  a  separate  existence. 

The  United  Presbyterian  Church  accepts  the  Westmin- 
ster Confession  of  Faith  and  catechisms  as  its  doctrinal 


THE  PRESBYTERIANS.  299 

standards,  modifying  somewhat  the  chapters  on  the  power 
of  civil  magistrates.  Accompanying  these  standards  as 
a  part  of  the  basis  of  union  was  a  "Judicial  Testimony," 
declaring  the  sense  in  which  these  symbols  were  received. 
It  consisted  of  eighteen  declarations,  including  one  against 
human  slavery,  another  against  all  secret  oath-bound  soci- 
eties as  "  inconsistent  with  the  genius  and  spirit  of  Chris- 
tianity"  and  forbidden  to  church  members,  another  opposed 
to  extending  the  "  communion  in  sealing  ordinances "  to 
those  refusing  adherence  to  the  church's  profession,  sub- 
jection to  its  government  and  discipline,  or  abandonment 
of  fellowship  with  those  not  in  sympathy  with  the  church's 
position ;  also  another  that  it  is  the  "  will  of  God "  that 
the  songs  contained  in  the  Book  of  Psalms  be  sung,  and 
these  only,  "  to  the  exclusion  of  the  devotional  composi- 
tions of  uninspired  men,"  in  public  and  private  worship. 
In  government  and  discipline  the  church  is  similar  to  other 
Presbyterian  churches.  It  has  presbyteries,  synods,  and 
a  general  assembly. 

There  are  56  presbyteries,  not  including  three  in  foreign 
lands — one  each  in  Canada,  India,  and  Egypt.  The  num- 
ber of  organizations  is  866,  with  832  church  edifices,  val- 
ued at  $5,408,084,  and  94,402  communicants.  In  1859, 
the  year  after  the  church  was  organized,  it  had  55,547 
communicants.  It  has  gained,  therefore,  in  thirty-one 
years,  38,855  communicants,  or  about  seventy  per  cent. 
The  average  seating  capacity  of  its  church  edifices  is  318, 
and  their  average  value  $6500.  There  are  50  halls,  with 
a  seating  capacity  of  5930. 


3OO    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Searing 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

California  

13 

10 

2,400 

$129,500 

I,2O2 

Colorado  

5 

5 

1,450 

55,500 

537 

Connecticut  

i 

i 

500 

10,000 

184 

Illinois  

62 

61 

18,363 

231,300 

6,529 

Indiana  

29 

29 

7,885 

92,850 

2,542 

Iowa  

IOI 

98 

25,960 

274,200 

7,769 

Kansas  

58 

48 

11,605 

127,350 

3,669 

Maryland  

i 

i 

500 

25,000 

171 

Massachusetts  

7 

7 

2,600 

65,000 

i,i35 

Michigan  

14 

n 

2,850 

21,600 

646 

Minnesota  

i 

12 

Missouri  

H 

14 

3,900 

104,200 

1,  068 

Nebraska  
New  Jersey  

3o 

1 

5,160 
2,175 

95,429 
98,500 

2,172 
685 

New  York  

65 

62 

25,516 

707,400 

9,719 

North  Dakota  

i 

i 

100 

1,  600 

Ohio  

1.36 

136 

43,132 

697,550 

14,710 

Oregon  

5 

5 

1,330 

24,800 

412 

Pennsylvania  

281 

283 

102,404 

2,552,450 

39,204 

Rhode  Island  

i 

i 

400 

15,000 

22O 

South  Dakota  

4 

2 

200 

1,700 

59 

Tennessee  

7 

6 

1,300 

6,000 

465 

Vermont  

3 

3 

900 

8,000 

219 

Washington  

3 

525 

7,4oo 

103 

West  Virginia  

6 

6 

1,730 

45,300 

530 

Wisconsin  

7 

8 

1,413 

io,455 

432 

Total 866      832     264,298   $5,408,084     94,402 


SUMMARY  BY  PRESBYTERIES. 


PRESBYTERIES. 

Albany  

Allegheny 

Argyle 

Arkansas  Valley 
Beaver  Valley  . . 

Big  Spring 

Boston 

Brookville 

Butler 

Caledonia 

Cedar  Rapids. . . 

Chartiers 

Chicago 


8 
31 

12 
22 

23 
10 

8 
18 
32 
H 
ii 

17 
9 


8 
30 

12 

16 
23 

12 

8 

15 
32 
13 

10 

17 

9 


3,050 

13,205 

6,250 


8,110 

3,365 
3,000 

4,275 
10,330 

4,525 
2,685 
6,580 
2,600 


$77,000 

443,2oo 

108,000 

30,600 

100,800 

57,800 

80,000 

31,800 

161,400 

i39,3oo 

45,000 

133,200 

58,000 


5,856 
2,268 

977 
3,214 
1,201 

1,355 


3,748 
2,273 

834 
2,745 

972 


THE  PRESBYTERIANS. 


301 


SUMMARY  BY  PRESBYTERIES. — Continued. 


PRESBYTERIES. 


Organi- 
zations. 


Church 
Edifices. 


Searing 

Ca- 
pacity. 


Chillicothe 7  6  2,250 

Cleveland n  9  3,130 

College  Springs ....  24  23  6,515 

Colorado 5  5  1,450 

Concordia 12  9  1,690 

Conemaugh 18  19  6,370 

Delaware 20  19  6,121 

Des  Moines  .......  35  33  7,460 

Detroit 13  10  2,600 

First  Ohio n  13  4,900 

Frankfort 17  17  5,631 

Garnett 17  16  4,240 

Illinois  Central ii  10  2,500 

Illinois  Southern ...  21  21  7,105 

Indiana n  n  2,850 

Indiana  Northern  ..  n  10  2,185 

Iowa  Northwestern .         6  5  1,165 

Kansas  City 1 1  1 1  3,240 

Keokuk 17  18  5,800 

Lake 26  27  7,7*3 

Le  Claire 10  10  2,410 

Los  Angeles 7  5  750 

Mansfield 15  15  4,255 

Mercer 13  14  4,875 

Monmouth 15  15  4,958 

Monongahela 33  31  14,045 

Muskingum 27  29  9,315 

New  York 18  17  8,245 

Omaha 24  18  3, 170 

Oregon 8  8  1,855 

Pawnee 17  n  2,530 

Philadelphia 15  16  8,180 

Princeton 9  10  3, 100 

Rock  Island n  n  3,  no 

San  Francisco 6  5  1,650 

Sidney 17  16  4,170 

Steubenville 22  22  6,887 

Tennessee 7  6  1,3°° 

Vermont 3  3  900 

Westmoreland 31  33  10,125 

Wheeling 19  19  6,255 

Wisconsin 7  8  1,413 

Xenia 13  13  4,400 


Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$10,000 
65,300 
56,900 
55,500 
15,800 
92,600 

55,100 

89,500 
19,300 

130,000 

87,100 
50,100 

26,500 
82,100 
27,500 
16,500 

14,325 
73,300 
53,300 
95,750 
17,225 

25,000 

78,050 
80,300 

82,200 

646,250 

65,600 

436,500 

64=079 
32,200 
37,ooo 

475,500 
40,450 
38,250 

104,500 
65,400 

109,300 
6,000 
8,000 

160,550 

128,700 

io,455 
1 14,000 


Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

694 

1,235 
2,208 

537 

5U 

2,230 

2,341 
2,003 

1,386 
2,117 

l'\ll 
646 

2,284 

845 

735 

239 

i, 06 1 

1,910 

2,827 

710 

296 

1,424 

1,998 

2,039 

5,543 

3,349 

2,791 

1,034 

515 

1,259 

3,577 

1,010 

876 

906 

1,429 

2,461 

465 

219 

3,028 

'432 
i  ,669 


Total 866      832     264,298   $5,408,084     94,402 


302   RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

6. — THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  THE  UNITED 
STATES  (SOUTHERN). 

In  1858  the  Southern  churches  of  the  New  School  gen- 
eral assembly  separated  from  the  Northern  churches  be- 
cause of  differences  on  the  slavery  question.  There  were 
4  synods  with  15  presbyteries  in  the  South,  and  these 
organized  the  United  Synod,  South.  In  1861  there  was 
a  similar  division  in  the  Old  School  Presbyterian  Church, 
resulting  in  the  organization  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
in  the  Confederate  States  of  America,  with  1 1  synods  and 
47  presbyteries.  In  1864  this  body  and  the  United  Synod, 
South,  were  united,  and  soon  after  the  name  Presbyterian 
Church  in  the  United  States  was  adopted.  On  account 
of  similarity  of  titles  this  church  is  commonly  called  the 
Southern  and  the  parent  body  the  Northern  Church. 

When  the  union  of  1 864  took  place  the  Southern  Church 
had  87,000  communicants.  A  number  of  presbyteries 
which  had  been  connected  with  the  Northern  Church  joined 
it  after  the  close  of  the  Civil  War,  and  it  has  increased 
rapidly.  It  now  has  13  synods,  72  presbyteries,  and  179,- 
570  communicants.  In  1882  fraternity  was  formally  es- 
tablished between  the  Northern  and  Southern  bodies,  and 
in  1888  the  general  assemblies,  respectively,  held  a  joint 
meeting  in  Philadelphia  in  celebration  of  the  centenary  of 
the  adoption  of  the  constitution  of  the  church. 

The  Southern  Church  has  2391  organizations,  with  2288 
church  edifices,  valued  at  $8,812,152.  The  average  seat- 
ing capacity  is  302,  and  the  average  value  $3851.  There 
are  143  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  19,895. 


THE  PRESBYTERIANS. 


303 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi-      Cnurcn         ^ 
zations.     Edifices.      pad^ 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Alabama  

172 

HI  yz  42,920 

$573,400 

Arkansas  

92 

75       21,830 

165,685 

District  of  Columbia 

I 

I         1,000 

50,000 

Florida  

67 

66       16,015 

162,450 

Georgia  

162 

164       52,764 

737,725 

Indiana  

2 

2                650 

Indian  Territory  .  .  . 

13 

22            5,250 

7,750 

Kentucky  

171 

168^   48,745 

996,750 

Louisiana  

64 

55       J8,435 

433,985 

Maryland  

17        4,785 

224,300 

Mississippi  
Missouri  

208 
143 

174       47,585 
116       38,705 

753^490 

North  Carolina  .... 

282 

275       96,485 

678,565 

South  Carolina  

226 

243^   68,185 

652,335 

Tennessee  

155 

150       53,030 

927,320 

Texas  

242 

171       45,977 

627,806 

Virginia  

290 

345^  100,977 

1,180,576 

West  Virginia  

87 

101       27,505 

222,950 

Total  

2,391 

2,288     690,843 

$8,812,152 

SUMMARY 

BY  PRESBYTERIES. 

PRESBYTERIES. 

Abingdon  

38 

35       11,107 

$117,350 

Albemarle  

26 

27        7,850 

8o,4OO 

Arkansas  

22 

19        5,530 

68,800 

Athens  

34 

35       11,700 

43,125 

Atlanta  

39 

40       11,875 

203,750 

Augusta  

19 

20^       7,950 

189,600 

Bethel  

46 

53       17,185 

106,800 

Brazos  

22 

ig%     5,625 

134,400 

Central  Alabama  .  .  . 

10 

8         1,850 

6,300 

Central  Mississippi. 

60 

52       12,450 

104,150 

Central  Texas  

49 

27        6,882 

II2,600 

Charleston  

28 

33        9,025 

268,020 

Cherokee  

28 

28        9,767 

63,400 

Chesapeake  

17 

20        7,925 

IIO,90O 

Chickasaw  

25 

25         8,250 

17,500 

Columbia  

26 

27        9,255 

78,700 

Concord  

43 

47       I7,4i5 

101,750 

Dallas  

59 

42       12,980 

175,064 

179,721 


2,634 

1,608 
1,130 

i,775 
4,100 

^796 
1,404 

357 

2^450 

2,243 
2,127 
1,452 
1,266 
1,965 

2^848 


304    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  PRESBYTERIES. — Continued. 


PRESBYTERIES. 

Eastern  Texas  . . . 
Eastern  Hanover. 

Ebenezer 

Enoree 

Fayetteville 

Florida 

Greenbrier 

Harmony 

Holston 

Indian 

Knoxville 

Lafayette 

Lexington 

Louisiana 

Louisville 

Macon 

Maryland 

Mecklenburg 

Memphis 

Mississippi 

Missouri 

Montgomery 

Muhlenberg 

Nashville 

New  Orleans  .... 
North  Alabama .  . 
North  Mississippi 

Orange  

Ouachita 

Paducah  

Palmyra 

Paris 

Peedee  

Pine  Bluff 

Potosi 

Red  River 

Roanoke 

Saint  John 

Saint  Louis 

Savannah  

South  Alabama .  . 
South  Carolina  .  . 
Suwanee  . . 


Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

oeaung 

56 

43 

9,965 

53 

67 

21,195 

29 

29 

7,545 

44 

45 

14,605 

64 

53 

23,140 

20 

21 

5,425 

45 

45 

12,455 

32 

35 

8,890 

16 

i5/^ 

6,775 

13 

22 

5,250 

24 

19 

6,225 

36 

26 

7,540 

59 

73 

19,320 

21 

19 

5,100 

43 

45 

14,200 

21 

18 

5,775 

13 

16 

4,385 

71 

70 

21,125 

34 

30 

9,100 

24 

22 

6,865 

28 

24 

7,250 

48 

61 

16,990 

16 

16 

3,475 

37 

42 

16,325 

29 

24 

10,565 

55 

35 

11,145 

35 

24 

6,680 

39 

38 

14,920 

22 

19 

5,4oo 

16 

17 

5,400 

23 

2O  yz 

5,950 

21 

15 

4,170 

24 

24 

6,975 

18 

17 

5,300 

17 

'3 

4,400 

30 

26 

6,835 

40 

44 

11,330 

25 

25 

5,650 

21 

17 

5,515 

21 

22 

5,697 

55 

48 

16,  100 

52 

53 

11,505 

22 

20 

4,940 

Value  of 
Church 

Com- 
muni- 

Property. 

cants. 

$50,442 

i,479 

402,700 

5,720 

I70,IOO 

2,730 

94,500 

2,898 

70,690 

7,388 

47,100 

1,064 

98,550 

3,023 

55,465 

i,932 

43,2oo 

2,705 

7,750 

629 

I33,ioo 

2,012 

72,700 

2,194 

158,950 

7,451 

44,900 

808 

339,450 

4,433 

144,850 

1,261 

209,300 

1,607 

194,700 

7,299 

203,350 

2,807 

115,000 

i,957 

79,750 

2,330 

230,011 

4,202 

52,950 

959 

433,920 

5,oi3 

362,700 

3,635 

226,800 

3,427 

76,590 

1,721 

140,500 

3,949 

41,100 

1,198 

107,600 

i,75o 

49-350 

1,598 

33,ooo 

920 

47,200 

1,489 

23,950 

1,131 

37,8oo 

961 

65,085 

1,202 

95,200 

2,805 

40,700 

1,103 

283,940 

1,472 

93,ooo 

1,420 

210.925 

3,783 

80,350 

3,203 

74,650 

1,277 

THE  PRESBYTERIANS. 


SUMMARY  BY  PRESBYTERIES. — Continued. 


305 


PRESBYTERIES. 

Tombeckbee 

Organi- 
zations 

4.8 

•     Church 
,    Edifices. 

^8 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

9.271 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$6^.  37S 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

2,  -168 

Transylvania  
Tuscaloosa  .  .  . 

29 

C2 

\6 
CO 

8,750 
I3.82C 

151,000 
I2Q,77i; 

2,949 

2,QQ7 

Upper  Missouri  .  .  . 

\8 

27 

,6 

18 

8,050 
c  oio 

229,950 

30  t»8? 

1,  808 
Q22 

Western  District  .  . 
Western  Texas  .  .  . 
West  Hanover  .... 
West  Lexington  .  . 
Wilmington  
Winchester  

23 

$ 

40 

39 

41 

20^ 

24 

'    4i# 
37^ 
40 

59K 

6,500 

6,355 
11,410 
10,025 
12,035 
17,  ceo 

41,800 
122,300 
76,165 
177,400 
90,525 
173,200 

1,664 
1,673 
2,IOO 

4,173 
2,722 
3.3OI 

Total 2,391    2,288     690,843    $8,812,152    179,721 


7. — THE   ASSOCIATE   CHURCH    OF   NORTH    AMERICA. 

The  Associate  Presbyterians  began  with  a  secession  in 
1733  of  Ebenezer  Erskine  and  three  other  ministers  from 
the  Church  of  Scotland.  Twenty  years  later  the  first 
associate  presbytery  in  this  country,  that  of  Pennsylvania, 
was  organized.  In  1 782  most  of  these  Presbyterians,  who 
held  what  are  known  as  the  Marrow  doctrines,  united  with 
Reformed  Presbyterians,  whence  came,  in  course  of  time, 
various  bodies  of  Associate  Reformed  Presbyterians.  There 
were  Associate  Presbyterians,  however,  who  did  not  join 
this  union,  and  these  organized  in  1801  a  synod,  embracing 
several  presbyteries.  In  1858  there  was  a  union  of  Asso- 
ciate and  Associate  Reformed  Presbyterians,  resulting  in 
the  United  Presbyterian  Church.  Some  Associate  Presby- 
terians, however,  remained  separate  still.  These  are  known 
as  the  Associate  Church  of  North  America. 

The  Associate  Presbyterians  were  very  pronounced 
against  slavery.  As  early  as  1800  the  Associate  Presby- 


306    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 

tery  denounced  slavery  as  immoral  and  unjustifiable.  In 
1811  it  repeated  this  declaration,  and  in  1831  it  resolved 
to  exclude  slaveholders  from  its  communion,  losing  thereby 
its  Southern  congregations. 

There  are  now  4  presbyteries,  with  3 1  organizations  and 
1053  communicants,  scattered  among  eight  States,  the 
majority  of  them  being  in  Pennsylvania  and  Iowa.  They 
have  2  3  edifices,  with  an  average  seating  capacity  of  211, 
and  an  average  value  of  $1270;  8  halls,  with  a  seating 
capacity  of  345,  are  occupied. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Illinois  

Organi- 
zations. 

I 

Church 
Edifices. 

I 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

I7C 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$I,OOO 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

17 

Indiana  

t* 
600 

2,6OO 

112 

Iowa  

c 

c 

Q74. 

C.3OO 

277 

Kansas  

A 

•2 

y* 

6so 

3.7.OO 

TP 

160 

New  Jersey  

I 

I 

200 

2,AOO 

20 

New  York  

I 

14. 

Ohio  

4. 

* 

625 

6,800 

77 

Pennsylvania  .  , 

12 

7 

,  * 
1.625 

7,800 

4.20 

Total 31  23  4,849  $29,200  1,053 

SUMMARY  BY  PRESBYTERIES. 

PRESBYTERIES. 

Clarion 16  10  2,200  $12,000  501 

Iowa 5  5  974  5,300  233 

Kansas 4  3  650  3>3oo  160 

Northern  Indiana ..        6  5  1,025  8,600  159 


Total 31        23         4,849        $29,200       1,053 

8. — THE  ASSOCIATE  REFORMED  SYNOD  OF  THE  SOUTH. 

The  union  of  Associate  and  Reformed  Presbyterians  in 
1 782  resulted  in  a  body  called  Associate  Reformed  Pres- 


THE  PRESBYTERIANS.  307 

byterians.  There  have  been  various  divisions  bearing  this 
name,  but  all  have  ceased  to  exist,  having  joined  with 
Associate  Presbyterians  to  form  the  United  Presbyterian 
Church,  or  been  absorbed  by  other  Presbyterian  bodies, 
except  the  Associate  Reformed  Synod  of  the  South.  In 
consequence  of  differences  in  the  general  synod  of  the 
Associate  Reformed  Church,  which  had  been  formed  in 
1804,  on  the  psalmody  and  communion  questions,  the 
Associate  Reformed  Synod  of  the  Carolinas  withdrew  in 
1821  and  became  the  next  year  an  independent  body, 
under  the  title  of  The  Associate  Reformed  Synod  of  the 
South. 

The  synod  accepts  the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith, 
with  those  sections  treating  of  the  power  of  civil  magis- 
trates in  ecclesiastical  matters  changed  so  as  to  eliminate 
their  "  Erastian  doctrine."  In  1871  the  synod  also  adopted 
a  "  summary  of  doctrines,"  consisting  of  thirty- five  articles, 
together  with  a  brief  declaration  of  church  order  and  terms 
of  communion.  Its  distinctive  principles  are  contained  in 
the  sections  concerning  psalmody  and  the  communion. 
Psalms  only  and  not  uninspired  hymns  may  be  used  in 
worship,  and  persons  "  holding  to  error  or  corrupt  worship, 
or  notoriously  belonging  to  societies  which  so  hold,"  may 
not  be  admitted  to  the  Lord's  Table. 

Connected  with  the  synod  are  8  presbyteries,  with  116 
organizations,  the  same  number  of  edifices,  and  8501  com- 
municants. The  average  seating  capacity  of  the  edifices 
is  319;  their  average  value,  $1826.  The  main  body  of 
communicants  is  to  be  found  in  the  two  Carolinas  and 
Tennessee.  Five  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  540,  are 
occupied. 


308     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Alabama  

Organi- 
zations. 

c 

Church 
Edifices. 

5 

6 

5 

i 

21 

37 
H 
4 
5 

i 

Seating 
pacity. 

1,700 
1,900 
2,500 
1,150 
1,425 
350 
7,650 
12,800 

3,975 
1,650 

i,55o 
400 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$13,150 

7,300 
15,900 
14,500 
4,500 
1,500 
51,000 
70,400 

18,100 

3,5°o 
10,000 
2,000 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

220 
513 

474 
169 
564 
92 
2,109 
2,728 
1,058 
1  88 
286 

IOO 

Arkansas  

.  .  .  .       IO 

Georgia  

8 

Kentucky  .    ... 

i 

Mississippi  .    .  . 

t 

Missouri  

.  .  .  .       I 

North  Carolina 
South  Carolina 
Tennessee  .  .    . 

20 
....       36 
14. 

Texas        .  . 

7 

Virginia  
\Vest  Vir°inia 

....       4 
I 

Total    .      . 

.     116 

116      37,050       $211,850 
Y  BY  PRESBYTERIES. 

9        1,900          $7,3°° 
39      14,125          84,900 
7         1,500           16,000 
13        3,25o           11,100 
27        8,825           52,400 

n        3,850           24,650 
4        1,650            3,500 
6        1,950           12,000 

8,501 

3$ 

261 
1,200 
1,625 

642 
1  88 
386 

PRESBYTERIES. 

Arkansas     .    .  . 

SUMMAR 
.  .  .  .        IO 

First    

38 

Kentucky  

:.::   6 

Memphis  
Second  

....  13 
26 

Tennessee  and 
bama  

Ala- 
.  .  .  .      ii 

Texas  

7 

Virginia  

c 

Total 116       116      37,050       $211,850        8,501 


THE   REFORMED    PRESBYTERIANS. 

The  Reformed  Presbyterians  of  the  United  States,  of 
whom  there  are  several  branches,  are  ecclesiastically  de- 
scended from  the  Cameronians,  or  Reformed  Presbyte- 
rians of  Scotland,  otherwise  called  Covenanters.  The  first 
presbytery  in  Scotland  was  organized  in  1743.  Eight 
years  later  the  first  Covenanter  minister  arrived  in  this 


THE  PRESBYTERIANS.  309 

country,  and  in  1774  the  first  presbytery  of  this  church  in 
America  was  constituted.  A  few  years  later  the  members 
of  this  presbytery,  joining  with  a  number  of  seceders,  as 
they  were  called,  also  a  Scottish  Presbyterian  division, 
organized  the  Associate  Reformed  Church.  A  division  in 
this  body  resulted  in  the  formation  of  the  Reformed  Dis- 
senting Presbytery,  and  the  original  Presbytery  being  re- 
suscitated, there  were  before  the  close  of  the  century  three 
branches  of  Reformed  Presbyterians. 

The  question  of  the  relation  of  the  Christian  Church  to 
civil  government  has  ever  been  a  prominent  one  among 
Reformed  Presbyterians.  All  accept  the  Westminster 
Confession  of  Faith  and  form  of  church  government,  and 
all  occupy  an  attitude  of  protest  against  civil  governments 
which  do  not  recognize  the  headship  of  Christ  and  the 
authority  of  God  and  his  law.  They  differ,  however, 
among  themselves  as  to  the  extent  to  which  this  protest 
should  be  carried.  Some  refuse,  because  the  Constitution 
of  the  United  States  does  not  acknowledge  the  existence 
of  Almighty  God,  the  supremacy  of  Christ,  and  the  au- 
thority of  the  Scripture,  to  "  incorporate  with  the  political 
body,"  and  hence  do  not  participate  in  elections  and  in 
certain  other  political  rights  and  duties.  Others  continue 
to  protest  against  "  a  godless  government,"  but  do  not  re- 
frain from  voting.  The  Reformed  Presbyterians  deem  the 
influence  of  secret  societies  pernicious,  and  forbid  commu- 
nicants all  connection  with  them.  They  do  not  use  modern 
hymns,  but  sing  psalms  only.  They  were  always  opposed 
to  slavery.  In  1800,  when  attention  was  called  to  the  fact 
that  some  of  the  members  owned  slaves,  the  presbytery 
enacted,  without  a  dissenting  voice,  that  "  no  slaveholder 
should  be  allowed  the  communion  of  the  church." 


310    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 

9. — THE   SYNOD    OF   THE   REFORMED    PRESBYTERIAN 
CHURCH. 

In  1809  a  synod  was  organized.  A  motion  brought 
before  this  body  in  1825  to  open  fraternal  correspondence 
with  the  general  assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
being  defeated,  a  number  of  ministers  subsequently  with- 
drew and  joined  the  latter  body.  In  1833  a  division 
occurred,  resulting  in  two  organizations,  both  of  which 
retained  the  same  subordinate  standards  unchanged,  but 
differed  in  the  application  of  them.  The  one,  allowing  its 
members  to  vote  and  hold  office  under  the  government,  is 
known  as  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  (New  Light) 
or  General  Synod;  the  other,  still  adhering  to  the  old 
practice,  as  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  (Old  Light) 
or  Synod. 

The  synod's  "  terms  of  ecclesiastical  communion "  em- 
brace an  acknowledgment  of  the  Scriptures  as  the  word  of 
God  and  only  rule  of  faith  and  manners;  of  the  whole 
doctrine  of  the  Westminster  Confession  and  catechisms  as 
founded  upon  the  Scriptures ;  of  the  divine  right  of  one 
unalterable  form  of  church  government  as  set  forth  by  the 
Westminster  Assembly  ;  of  the  obligation  upon  the  church 
of  the  covenant  entered  into  in  1871,  in  which  are  em- 
bodied the  engagement  of  the  national  covenant  and  of 
the  solemn  league  and  covenant,  so  far  as  applicable  in  this 
land.  The  covenant  of  1871  declares  that  those  accepting 
it  are  pledged  to  labor  for  "  a  constitutional  recognition  of 
God  as  the  source  of  all  power,  of  Jesus  Christ  as  the  ruler 
of  nations,  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  the  supreme  rule,  and 
of  the  true  Christian  religion,"  and  to  refuse  to  "  incorpo- 


THE  PRESBYTERIANS.  31 1 

rate  by  any  act  with  the  political  body  until  this  blessed 
reformation  is  secured."  The  members  of  this  branch, 
therefore,  do  not  take  part  in  state  or  national  elections. 
They  neither  vote  nor  hold  office. 

The  synod  embraces  1 1  presbyteries,  with  115  organiza- 
tions and  edifices,  10,574  communicants,  and  church  prop- 
erty valued  at  $1,071,400.  The  average  value  of  its 
edifices  is  $9317,  and  the  average  seating  capacity  323. 
Though  it  is  represented  in  nineteen  States,  more  than  half 
of  its  communicants  are  in  Pennsylvania  and  New  York. 
Three  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  600,  are  occupied. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 

Church 

Seating 
Ca- 

Value of 
Church 

Com- 
muni- 

Edifices. 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

Alabama  

I 

I 

30O 

$1,500 

76 

Colorado  

3 

2 

650 

4,500 

142 

Illinois  

••       5 

5 

1,575 

l6,OOO 

536 

Indiana  

3 

3 

850 

II,OOO 

246 

Iowa  

9 

9 

2,760 

21,900 

984 

Kansas  

..       9 

7 

1,750 

15,000 

758 

Maine  

i 

i 

300 

4,000 

19 

Maryland  

i 

i 

250 

15,000 

65 

Massachusetts  .  .  . 

2 

2 

!,35° 

100,000 

400 

Michigan  

2 

2 

550 

6,000 

197 

Minnesota  

4 

3 

1,000 

2,800 

H5 

Missouri  

2 

i 

350 

10,000 

100 

Nebraska  

I 

i 

350 

3,500 

51 

New  York 
Ohio  

18 
..      14 

ll 
16 

8,030 

4,160 

459,5oo 
55,600 

2,328 
951 

Pennsylvania 

••      33 

35 

11,180 

324,500 

3,272 

Vermont  

••       5 

5 

1,240 

17,900 

222 

West  Virginia  .  .  . 

i 

i 

200 

700 

2O 

Wisconsin  

i 

i 

250 

2,000 

62 

Total 115      115      37,095    $1,071,400       10,574 


312     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  PRESBYTERIES. 


PRESBYTERIES. 


Organi- 
zations. 


Illinois 9 

Iowa 12 

Kansas 16 

Lakes 9 

Maine I 

New  York 15 

Ohio 8 

Philadelphia 5 

Pittsburg 30 

Rochester 5 

Vermont 5 


Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

9 

2,775 

$35,000 

776 

ii 

3,310 

19,700 

916 

12 

3.450 

30,000 

1,291 

9 

2,730 

35,000 

768 

I 

300 

4,000 

19 

16 

7,900 

517,500 

2,351 

10 

2,  1  80 

25,800 

472 

5 

1,880 

88,000 

789 

32 

9,850 

256,500 

2,593 

5 

1,480 

42,000 

377 

5 

1,240 

17,900 

222 

Total 


115       115      37,095     $1,071,400      10,574 


IO. — THE   GENERAL   SYNOD   OF  THE   REFORMED 
PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH. 

This  is  the  other  body  resulting  from  the  division  of  the 
Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  in  1833.  They  used  to  be 
popularly  distinguished  as  "  New  Lights."  The  general 
synod  holds  equally  with  the  synod  to  the  Westminster 
standards,  to  the  headship  of  Christ  over  nations,  to  the 
doctrine  of  "  public  social  covenanting,"  to  the  exclusive 
use  of  the  psalms  in  singing,  to  restricted  communion  in 
the  use  of  the  sacraments,  and  to  the  principle  of  "  dissent 
from  all  immoral  civil  institutions,"  but  allows  its  members 
to  decide  for  themselves  whether  the  government  of  this 
country  should  be  regarded  as  an  immoral  institution,  and 
thus  determine  what  duties  of  citizenship  devolve  upon 
them.  They  may  therefore  exercise  the  franchise  and  hold 
office,  provided  they  do  not  in  these  civil  acts  violate  the 
principle  that  forbids  connection  with  immoral  institutions. 
Many  of  them  do  participate  in  elections.  Negotiations 


THE  PRESBYTERIANS.  313 

for  the  union  of  the  general  synod  and  the  synod  failed  in 
1890,  because  the  latter  would  not  agree  to  a  basis  which 
interpreted  the  phrase  "  incorporate  with  the  political 
body  "  as  meaning  "  such  incorporation  as  involves  sinful 
compliance  with  the  religious  defects  of  the  written  consti- 
tution as  it  now  stands,  either  in  holding  such  offices  as 
require  an  oath  to  support  the  constitution  or  in  voting  for 
men  to  administer  such  offices." 

The  general  synod  embraces  5  presbyteries,  with  33 
organizations,  the  same  number  of  edifices,  valued  at 
$469,000,  and  4602  communicants.  The  average  seating 
capacity  of  its  edifices  is  375,  and  their  average  value 
$14,212,  which  is  an  extremely  high  figure.  One  hall, 
with  a  seating  capacity  of  100,  is  occupied. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Illinois  , 

Organi- 
zations. 

6 

Church 
Edifices. 

6 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

2.  1  Co 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$l6,4.OO 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

CQO 

Indiana  

,.  •          2 

2 

4.  Co 

2.4.OO 

jyv 
82 

Iowa 

2 

I 

HO" 
1  80 

I  OOO 

^•a 

Kansas 

I 

I 

I  CO 

800 

oj 
6«J 

New  York          . 

6 

6 

l^u 
2  6co 

127  OOO 

624. 

Ohio          

2 

2 

I,IOO 

36  coo 

•34.0 

Pennsylvania 

II 

12 

4.QOO 

283.  coo 

2,68c 

Tennessee  

.  .  .           I 

I 

2OO 

•YJI3**** 

A.OO 

Vermont  .  . 

2 

2 

600 

C.OOO 

i6< 

Total 33      33        12,380        $469,000        4,602 

SUMMARY  BY  PRESBYTERIES. 


PRESBYTERIES. 

Northern 

8 

8 

3  2CO 

$1^8  ooo 

780 

Ohio 

I  3OO 

•28  OOO 

/"y 

AOO 

Philadelphia 

£ 

^ 

•3.2C.O 

iSc.coo 

2,103 

Pittsburg  

c 

6 

i,6co 

98,000 

582 

Western    

ii 

10 

2,Q^O 

IQ.COO 

728 

Total 33      33        12,380        $469,000        4,602 


314    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 

II.  —  THE  REFORMED  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH 
(COVENANTED). 

This  body  was  organized  in  1840  by  two  ministers  and 
three  elders  who  withdrew  from  the  synod,  or  the  branch 
known  as  the  "  Old  Lights,"  on  the  ground  that  the  latter 
maintained  sinful  ecclesiastical  relations  and  patronized  or 
indorsed  moral  reform  societies  with  which  persons  of  any 
religion  or  no  religion  were  connected.  Its  terms  of  com- 
munion are  somewhat  stricter  than  those  of  the  synod.  It 
is  a  small  body,  having  only  4  organizations,  with  37 
members,  divided  among  three  States. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 

Seating          Value  of  Com- 

'  = 


New  York  .........  i  ..  ...  ......  7 

Ohio  .............  i  i  200  ......  20 

Pennsylvania  ......  2  V.  ...  ......  10 

Total  .........  4  i  200  ......  37 


12. — THE   REFORMED    PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH    IN   THE 
UNITED    STATES   AND    CANADA. 

This  body  was  organized  in  1883,  in  consequence  of 
dissatisfaction  with  the  treatment  of  a  question  of  discipline 
by  the  general  synod  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church 
(New  Lights).  In  the  matter  of  participation  in  elections 
it  holds  with  the  general  synod,  and  contrary  to  the 
synod,  that  Christians  may  vote  and  be  voted  for,  regard- 
ing the  republic  as  essentially  a  Christian  republic.  It  has 


THE  PRESBYTERIANS. 


315 


but  600  members  in  the  United  States,  who  belong  to  one 
congregation  in  Allegheny  County,  Pennsylvania. 


SUMMARY. 


PRESBYTERY. 

Organi- 

Church 

Seating 
Ca- 

Value of 
Church 

Com- 
muni- 

zations. 

Edifices. 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

Pittsburg  

I 

I 

800 

$75,000 

600 

SUMMARY 

BY  STATES  OF 

ALL  PRESBYTERIANS. 

STATES. 

Alabama  

385 

327 

97,475 

$819,255 

21,502 

Alaska  

5 

4 

1,100 

7,750 

48l 

Arizona  

7 

3 

850 

13,900 

1  88 

Arkansas  

419 

274 

84,125 

357,685 

18,022 

California  

263 

211 

59,771 

1,895,675 

18,934 

Colorado  

88 

69 

17,875 

643,550 

6,968 

Connecticut  

8 

10 

4,30° 

443,500 

1,864 

Delaware  

32 

43 

14,970 

709,800 

4,622 

Dist.  of  Columbia 

16 

20 

u,  600 

950,000 

5,128 

Florida  

107 

95 

22,265 

484,650 

4,574 

Georgia  

201 

193 

61,564 

776,025 

14,538 

Idaho  

19 

15 

2,275 

40,950 

815 

Illinois  

752 

736 

241,404 

4,649,410 

77,213 

Indiana  

389 

412 

132,653 

2,610,200 

43,351 

Indian  Territory  . 

136 

106 

21,818 

59,158 

3,661 

Iowa  

518 

490 

131.892 

1,848,000 

40,528 

Kansas     

521 

359 

91,934- 

1,299,260 

31,393 

Kentucky  

507 

464 

148,020 

2,045,870 

40,880 

Louisiana  

88 

72 

24,035 

454,035 

5,864 

Maine  

3 

4 

1,100 

12,000 

224 

Maryland  

93 

109 

38,555 

1,752,424 

12,483 

Massachusetts  .  .  . 

27 

27 

14,075 

530,500 

5,io5 

Michigan  

252 

243 

79,450 

2,242,236 

25,931 

Minnesota  

185 

170 

44,966 

1,329,910 

15,055 

Mississippi  

352 

299 

86,369 

530,200 

18,250 

Missouri  

776 

609 

198,421 

2,789,652 

53,5io 

Montana  

24 

18 

4,150 

88,000 

1,232 

Nebraska  

278 

189 

41,981 

691,939 

15,065 

Nevada  

8 

4 

865 

11,400 

275 

New  Hampshire  . 

8 

9 

3,150 

34,8oo 

956 

New  Jersey  

307 

427 

171,732 

6,800,000 

59,464 

New  Mexico  

39 

17 

2,815 

45,675 

1,275 

New  York  

903     i 

',047 

420,977 

22,727,192 

168,564 

3l6    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES  OF  ALL  PRESBYTERIANS. — Continued. 


STATES. 

North  Carolina  .  . 
North  Dakota  .  .  . 
Ohio 

Organi- 
zations. 

411 
IOO 

828 

Church 
Edifices. 

399 
49 
84.0 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

I30»785 
9,600 
287,4.20 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$8l8,745 
128,025 
6.722  875 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

36,102 

3,044 
IO7  6o7 

Oklahoma 

21 

<jity 

Q 

I.85O 

14.  OOO 

55O 

Oregon 

IOI 

76 

IQ.OQ2 

4.63  500 

jj^ 

5-2  A  A 

Pennsylvania  .... 
Rhode  Island  
South  Carolina  .  . 
South  Dakota  
Tennessee 

IJ365 

5 
339 
134 
864. 

1,506 
5 
347 
89 

77Q 

iy,v^v/^ 

576,018 

1,785 
106,000 
14,896 
25O.576 

19,146,130 
76,000 
896,635 
162,840 
2.OO2.6O5 

2l6,248 
828 
26,Il8 
4,778 
66  577 

Texas 

816 

4/ifi 

O^OJ" 

1^8.707 

1.  24.  1  4.85 

77  8l  I 

Utah  

20 

71 

5,180 

2I2,Q75 

688 

Vermont  
Virginia  

18 

7J7 

16 

360 

4,215 
106,967 

50,400 
1,27,4,501 

1,267 
27,746 

Washington  
West  Virginia  .  .  . 
Wisconsin  

99 
140 
1  80 

70 
150 

IQQ 

l6,86o 
43^70 
45.Q77 

365,875 
581,150 

1,004,755 

4,343 
10,952 
14,154 

Wyoming  

6 

c 

060 

52,25O 

764 

Total 13,476  12,469  4,038,650  $94,869,097   1,278,332 


CHAPTER   XXXII. 

PROTESTANT   EPISCOPAL   BODIES. 

I. — THE   PROTESTANT   EPISCOPAL   CHURCH. 

THE  beginnings  of  the  Church  of  England  in  this  coun- 
try reach  back  into  the  sixteenth  century,  although  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church  was  not  formally  organized 
as  an  independent  branch  until  1785.  Clergymen  of  the 
Church  of  England  accompanied  the  early  colonists  of 
North  Carolina  across  the  sea,  one  of  whom  baptized  an 
Indian  chief  in  1587  in  a  colony  unsuccessfully  begun  by 
Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  and  also,  about  the  same  time,  the 
first  white  Christian  born  in  that  colony.  It  is  probable 
that  the  Rev.  Francis  Fletcher,  who  accompanied,  as  chap- 
lain, the  expedition  of  Sir  Francis  Drake  to  the  Pacific 
Coast,  held  services  on  California  soil  as  early  as  1579. 
He  officiated  for  six  weeks  in  the  neighborhood  of  Drake's 
Bay.  In  1607  worship  according  to  the  Anglican  ritual 
was  established  in  the  new  colonies  at  Jamestown,  Va., 
and  Kennebec,  Me.  It  was  soon  discontinued  in  Maine, 
but  in  Virginia  it  was  not  interrupted.  An  Episcopal 
congregation  was  gathered  in  New  Hampshire  in  1631, 
and  parishes  were  formed  in  other  parts  of  New  England 
and  the  Middle  States  in  the  early  colonial  days,  Trinity 
parish,  New  York  City,  being  constituted  in  1693,  and 
Christ  Church  parish,  in  Philadelphia,  in  1695.  The 
church  became  the  established  church  in  New  York,  New 

317 


3l8     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 

Jersey,  Maryland,  Virginia,  South  Carolina,  and  Georgia. 
In  Virginia,  for  a  considerable  period,  no  other  form  of 
worship  was  tolerated.  In  Massachusetts,  on  the  other 
hand,  the  Anglican  service  was  not  allowed  until  liberty 
for  it  was  secured  by  royal  proclamation  in  1662.  The 
Episcopal  Church  received  considerable  assistance  from 
England,  particularly  from  the  Society  for  the  Propaga- 
tion of  the  Gospel,  organized  in  1701,  which  sent  over 
many  missionaries.  It  is  said  that  at  the  beginning  of 
the  Revolutionary  War  the  society  was  maintaining  about 
eighty  missionaries  in  the  colonies. 

At  the  close  of  the  struggle  resulting  in  American  inde- 
pendence many  of  the  parishes  were  without  ministerial 
oversight.  Some  of  the  clergymen  had  left  the  country 
during  the  war,  returning  to  England  or  going  north  to 
the  "British  provinces.  In  Virginia,  where  at  the  outbreak 
of  the  war  there  had  been  164  churches  and  chapels  and 
91  clergymen,  it  was  found  in  1784  that  95  parishes  were 
either  extinct  or  forsaken,  and  only  28  clergymen  remained. 
At  a  conference  of  clergymen  and  laymen  from  New  York, 
New  Jersey,  and  Pennsylvania,  held  in  New  Brunswick, 
N.  J.,  in  May,  1784,  steps  were  taken  to  form  "a  conti- 
nental representation  of  the  Episcopal  Church."  In  the 
following  October  a  convention,  representing  Delaware  and 
Maryland,  in  addition  to  the  three  States  above  named, 
assembled  in  New  York  City,  and  resolved  to  "  recommend 
to  the  clergy  and  congregations  of  their  communion  "  that 
"  there  be  a  general  convention  of  the  Episcopal  Church  "  ; 
that  the  first  meeting  of  the  convention  be  held  in  Phila- 
delphia in  September,  1785;  and  that  clerical  and  lay 
deputies  be  appointed  by  the  Episcopal  churches  in  the 
several  States,  "  duly  instructed  and  authorized  "  to  take 


PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  BODIES.  319 

part  in  its  deliberations.  At  the  convention  of  1785  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  draft  a  constitution,  to  pre- 
pare such  alterations  in  the  liturgy  as  were  necessary,  and 
to  report  a  plan  for  securing  the  consecration  of  bishops. 
All  of  these  matters  were  considered  by  the  committee, 
and  the  convention  acted  upon  the  several  reports  it  made. 
The  first  Episcopal  consecration  was  that  of  Bishop  Sea- 
bury,  of  Connecticut,  which  took  place  in  Aberdeen,  Scot- 
land, in  1784,  the  Scottish  bishops  officiating.  In  1787 
Drs.  William  White  and  Samuel  Provoost  were  consecrated 
bishops  in  London,  by  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury.  The 
consecration  of  Bishop  Seabury  was  recognized  by  the 
general  convention  of  1789,  and  the  church  was  thus  fully 
organized  and  fully  equipped,  with  bishops  of  the  Scottish 
and  English  succession,  a  constitution,  a  general  convention, 
and  a  prayer-book.  When  the  general  convention  of  \  792 
was  held,  it  was  estimated  that  there  were  in  this  country 
about  200  clergymen.  The  church  developed  quite  slowly 
until  after  the  first  quarter  of  the  present  century.  The 
clerical  list  reported  at  the  convention  of  1832  contained 
nearly  600  names ;  three  years  later  it  had  swelled  to  763, 
and  in  1838  it  reached  951.  In  the  next  thirty  years  this 
number  was  considerably  more  than  doubled.  It  now  has 
52  dioceses  and  13  missionary  jurisdictions,  besides  5  mis- 
sionary jurisdictions  in  foreign  lands.  The  number  of  its 
bishops  is  75. 

The  doctrinal  symbols  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  are  the  Apostles'  and  the  Nicene  creeds,  together 
with  the  Thirty-nine  Articles  of  the  Church  of  England 
slightly  altered. 

The  legislative  authority  of  the  church  is  vested  in  a 
general  convention,  which  meets  triennially.  The  conven- 


320    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

tion  consists  of  two  houses,  the  house  of  bishops  and  the 
house  of  clerical  and  lay  deputies.  The  deputies  are 
elected  by  diocesan  conventions.  Every  diocese,  regard- 
less of  the  number  of  clergymen  and  communicants  within 
its  bounds,  is  entitled  to  eight  deputies,  four  clerical  and 
four  lay.  The  concurrence  of  both  orders  in  the  house  of 
deputies  and  the  consent  of  both  houses  are  necessary  to 
the  enactment  of  legislation.  The  general  convention  has 
the  power  to  adopt,  alter,  or  repeal  canons  pertaining  to 
the  regulation  of  the  general  affairs  of  the  church,  to  ratify 
measures  for  the  erection  of  new  dioceses,  and  to  make 
alterations  in  the  constitution  and  Book  of  Common  Prayer 
under  certain  restrictions.  It  is  the  supreme  legislative, 
executive,  and  judicial  power.  The  legislation  of  the  gen- 
eral convention  is  in  the  form  of  canons,  which  are  arranged 
under  four  titles : 

"  I.  Of  the  orders  in  the  ministry  and  of  the  doctrine 

and  worship  of  the  church. 
"  II.  Of  discipline. 

"  III.  Of  the  organized  bodies  and  officers  of  the  church. 

"  IV.   Miscellaneous  provisions." 

There  is  in  each  diocese  a  convention  consisting  of  the 
clergy  and  representatives  of  the  laity.  The  bishop  of  the 
diocese  is  the  presiding  officer.  The  diocesan  convention 
has  power  to  provide  by  legislation  for  such  diocesan  mat- 
ters as  are  not  regulated  by  the  general  canons  of  the 
church.  The  unit  of  the  diocese  is  the  parish,  with  its 
rector,  churchwardens,  vestrymen,  and  congregation.  The 
vestrymen  are  the  trustees  and  hold  the  property  for  the 
corporation.  The  wardens,  of  whom  there  are  usually  two, 
represent  the  body  of  the  parish,  and  have  charge  of  the 
records,  collect  the  alms,  and  look  after  the  repairs  of  the 
church.  Vestry  meetings,  to  be  valid,  require  the  presence 


PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  BODIES.  321 

of  at  least  one  warden.  The  rector,  who  must  be  a  priest, 
presides,  and  has  exclusive  direction  of  the  spiritual  affairs 
of  the  church. 

Three  orders  are  recognized  in  the  ministry:  bishops, 
priests,  deacons.  A  bishop  is  elected  by  the  diocesan  con- 
vention and  consecrated  by  bishops  after  consent  has  been 
given  by  the  standing  committees  of  the  various  dioceses 
and  by  the  bishops.  He  licenses  lay  readers,  ordains  dea- 
cons and  priests,  administers  the  right  of  confirmation  to 
members,  institutes  rectors,  and  is  required  to  visit  every 
parish  in  his  diocese  at  least  once  in  three  years. 

The  number  of  organizations  is  5019;  of  church  edifices, 
5019,  which  have  an  aggregate  value  of  $81,220,317. 
Worship  is  also  held  in  312  halls,  etc.,  with  an  aggregate 
seating  capacity  of  28,007.  There  are  in  all  532,054  com- 
municants. Of  these  New  York  reports  the  largest  number 
(127,218)  among  the  States.  Pennsylvania  comes  second, 
with  54,720;  New  Jersey  third,  with  30,103;  Massachu- 
setts fourth,  with  26,855 ;  and  Connecticut  fifth,  with 
26,652.  Maryland  has  more  than  Virginia,  and  the  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia  a  larger  number  than  Alabama,  Arkan- 
sas, Florida,  Georgia,  Kentucky,  Louisiana,  Mississippi,  or 
any  of  the  other  Southern  States,  excepting  only  North 
Carolina  and  Virginia.  The  church  is  represented  in  all 
the  States  and  Territories.  The  largest  diocese  is  that  of 
New  York,  with  5  3,593  communicants.  Pennsylvania  comes 
second,  with  33,459;  Maryland  third,  with  28,273;  and 
Massachusetts  fourth,  with  26,855.  There  are  51  dio- 
ceses, besides  a  number  of  missions  and  missionary  juris- 
dictions. The  multiplication  of  dioceses  has  been  quite 
rapid  in  the  last  quarter  of  a  century. 

The  average  seating  capacity  of  the  church  edifices  is 
266,  and  the  average  value  $16,182. 


322     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Alabama 

Alaska 

Arizona 

Arkansas 

California 

Colorado 

Connecticut 

Delaware 

Dist.  of  Columbia 

Florida 

Georgia 

Idaho 

Illinois 

Indiana 

Iowa 

Kansas 

Kentucky 

Louisiana 

Maine 

Maryland 

Massachusetts  . . . 

Michigan 

Minnesota 

Mississippi 

Missouri 

Montana 

Nebraska 

Nevada 

New  Hampshire  . 

New  Jersey 

New  Mexico 

New  York 

North  Carolina  . . 

North  Dakota 

Ohio 

Oklahoma 

Oregon  

Pennsylvania 

Rhode  Island.  . . . 
South  Carolina  . . 
South  Dakota  . . . 
Tennessee  . 


irgani- 

itions. 

Churcl 
Edifice 

,        Seating 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

58 

59 

16,755 

$655,752 

6,085 

I 

i 

200 

I,2OO 

6 

9 

4 

800 

24,216 

179 

30 

28 

7,575 

196,122 

2,381 

103 

95 

19,700 

1,019,695 

9,221 

52 

44 

8,663 

700,065 

3,814 

161 

187 

64,275 

3,403,170 

26,652 

38 

44 

11,215 

371,500 

2,719 

18 

28 

10,825 

790,500 

7,476 

100 

84 

13,569 

390,561 

4,225 

46 

5° 

13,282 

492,300 

5,515 

13 

364 

1  86 

179 

47,523 

2,117,275 

19,099 

65 

61 

15,660 

537,600 

5,185 

105 

77 

17,385 

887,400 

6,481 

96 

48 

9,090 

316,225 

3,593 

47 

57 

34,935 

758,800 

7,161 

85 

65 

15,099 

387,950 

5,162 

38 

37 

10,342 

406,590 

3,291 

166 

244 

62,553 

2,381,406 

23,938 

166 

172 

4,676,193 

26,855 

189 

'75 

46^639 

1,645,551 

18,034 

171 

148 

27,070 

931,100 

11,142 

68 

61 

322,960 

3,56o 

in 

84 

23^035 

952,600 

8,828 

30 

22 

2,375 

165,450 

1,104 

no 

68 

11,665 

580,145 

4,036 

9 

9 

1,825 

19,500 

535 

44 

46 

10,550 

541,400 

2,911 

184 

234 

62,125 

3,815,850 

30,103 

16 

6 

1,140 

41,165 

373 

731 

827 

252,343 

30,862,213 

127,218 

178 

161 

34,721 

545,010 

8,186 

39 

892 

*J7 

184 

49,419 

2,069,787 

wx 

17,454 

4 

2 

325 

4,000 

105 

& 

25 
418 

4,014 
134,967 

361,930 
10,854,131 

1,849 
54,720 

50 

61 

20,949 

1,189,700 

9,458 

94 

88 

21,041 

571,833 

5,742 

83 

69 

9,295 

234,532 

2,649 

69 

63 

16,275 

575,900 

5,671 

PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  BODIES. 


323 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. — Continued. 


Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

139 

no 

23,120 

$624,900 

7,097 

10 

10 

I>525 

71,250 

751 

63 

56 

13,087 

472,050 

4,335 

245 

330 

79,340 

1,697,375 

20,371 

23 

18 

3,731 

242,800 

1,698 

61 

63 

13,898 

276,687 

2,006 

133 

117 

21,830 

1,035,978 

io,457 

16 

467 

^     / 

Texas 

Utah 

Vermont 

Virginia 245 

Washington 

West  Virginia 

Wisconsin 133 

Wyoming 

Total 5,019   5,019  1,336,952  $81,220,317   532,054 


SUMMARY  BY  DIOCESES  AND  MISSIONS. 


Alabama  

58 

59 

i6,755 

$655,752 

6,085 

Albany  

H3 

153 

41,796 

2,323,600 

18,556 

Arkansas  

30 

28 

7,575 

196,122 

2,381 

California  

76 

70 

15,375 

9oo,353 

8,107 

Central  New  York. 

152 

158^ 

40,362 

1,873,500 

16,159 

Cent'l  Pennsylvania 

117 

141 

37,870 

2,211,115 

10,658 

Chicago  

90 

88 

26,688 

1,721,050 

13,597 

Colorado  

52 

44 

8,663 

700,065 

3,8i4 

Connecticut  

161 

187 

64,275 

3,403,170 

26,652 

Delaware  

38 

44 

11,215 

371,500 

2,719 

East  Carolina  

5i 

49 

13,125 

243,910 

3,351 

Easton  

37 

68 

12,636 

338,762 

3,  HI 

Florida  

IOO 

84 

13,569 

390,561 

4,225 

Fond  du  Lac  

57 

42 

9,105 

190,150 

3,75i 

Georgia  

46 

50 

13,282 

492,300 

5,515 

Indiana  

65 

61 

15,660 

537,6oo 

5,185 

Iowa  

105 

77 

17,385 

887,400 

6,481 

Kansas  

96 

48 

9,090 

316,225 

3,593 

Kentucky  

47 

57 

34,935 

758,800 

7,161 

Long  Island  

no 

H7 

43,642 

4,868,500 

23,690 

Louisiana  

85 

65 

15,099 

387,950 

5,162 

Maine  

38 

37 

10,342 

406,590 

3,291 

Maryland  

H7 

204 

60,742 

2,833,144 

28,273 

Massachusetts  

166 

172 

57,6i3 

4,676,193 

26,855 

Michigan  

126 

123 

33,77i 

1,301,580 

13,559 

Milwaukee  

76 

75 

12,725 

845,828 

6,706 

Minnesota  

171 

148 

27,070 

931,100 

11,142 

Mississippi  

68 

61 

13,589 

322,960 

3,56o 

324    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  DIOCESES  AND  MISSIONS. — Continued. 


DIOCESES. 

Missouri 

Organi- 
zations. 

Ill 

Church 
Edifices. 

84. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$Q12  600 

Nebraska 

1O 

o  281 

Newark 

78 

98 

2O  tA3 

2  T7O  300 

New  Hampshire.  .  . 
New  Jersey 

44 
1  06 

46 

10,550 
•32.782 

541,400 

1,445  55o 

New  York 

2io 

211 

Q  1  .  2  AO 

IQ  662.4.10 

North  Carolina  .  .  . 
Ohio 

127 

112 

21,596 
TO.  11  1 

301,100 

I,IOI,  IOO 

Oregon 

7T 

21 

J'-'O1  J 

A.  Old 

Pennsylvania  

I  70 

165 

7O,2O2 

6,868,071 

Pittsburg. 

T  T7 

1  12 

26  8Q1 

1.774.  O4.1 

Quincy. 

4.O 

TO 

TO  060 

172  IOO 

Rhode  Island  

CO 

61 

2O,Q4Q 

I,l8o,7OO 

South  Carolina.  .  .  . 
Southern  Ohio  .... 
Springfield 

94 

88 
75 

21,041 
18,904 
Q.871 

571,833 
968,687 

Tennessee. 

60 

6^ 

l6.271 

171  QOO 

Texas 

4.7 

I  I.I3O 

TOC     2OO 

Vermont 

67 

c6 

I7.o87 

4.72.  01O 

Virginia 

24.1 

7  TO 

70,74.0 

Western  Michigan. 
Western  New  York 
West  Virginia  .... 

63 

116 
61 

52 

117 
63 

12,868 
13^898 

343,971 
2,134,163 
276,687 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

8,828 
2,916 

15,805 
2,911 

14,298 

53,593 
4,835 
9,946 
1,849 

33,459 
10,603 
2,201 
9,458 
5,742 
7,508 
3,30i 
5,67i 
3,229 

4,335 
20,371 

4,475 

15,220 

2,906 


Alaska I           I 

Montana 30  22 

Nevada  and  Utah ..  19  19 
New    Mexico    and 

Arizona 25  10^ 

North  Dakota 39 

Northern  California  27  25 
Northern  Texas.  . .  39  31 
Oklahoma  and  In- 
dian Territory  . .  4          2 

South  Dakota 86  72 

The  Platte 51  15 

Washington 23  18 

Western  Texas  ...  49  32 

Wyom'g  and  Idaho  29 


Total 5,019   5,019  1,336,952  $81,220,317   532,054 


200 

1,200 

6 

2,375 

165,450 

1,104 

3,350 

90,750 

1,286 

1,940 

65,381 

552 

802 

4,325 

119,342 

;7 

1,114 

6,060 

187,350 

2,037 

325 

4,000 

105 

9,625 

244,632 

2,937 

2,050 

77,320 

832 

3,73i 

242,800 

1,698 

5,930 

132,350 

1,831 

831 

PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  BODIES.  325 

2. — THE   REFORMED   EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

This  body  was  organized  in  1873.  Bishop  Cummins, 
of  Kentucky,  withdrew  from  the  ministry  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  that  year,  in  consequence  of  certain  crit- 
icisms which  had  been  uttered  respecting  his  participation 
in  a  union  communion  service  in  connection  with  the  Sixth 
Conference  of  the  Evangelical  Alliance.  Bishop  Cummins 
met,  in  December,  1873,  with  seven  clergymen  and  twenty 
laymen  in  the  city  of  New  York,  and  it  was  resolved  to 
inaugurate  a  separate  movement.  Bishop  Cummins  was 
chosen  presiding  officer  of  the  new  church,  and  the  Rev. 
C.  E.  Cheney,  D.D.,  of  Chicago,  was  elected  bishop,  and 
subsequently  consecrated  by  Bishop  Cummins.  A  decla- 
ration of  principles  was  adopted  setting  forth  the  views 
of  the  new  body  respecting  doctrine,  polity,  worship,  and 
discipline.  These  principles  were  as  follows : 

"  I.  The  Reformed  Episcopal  Church,  holding  '  the  faith 
once  delivered  unto  the  saints,'  declares  its  belief  in  the 
Holy  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  as  the 
Word  of  God  and  the  sole  rule  of  faith  and  practice;  in 
the  creed  '  commonly  called  the  Apostles'  Creed ' ;  in  the 
divine  institution  of  the  sacraments  of  baptism  and  the 
Lord's  Supper;  and  in  the  doctrines  of  grace  substantially 
as  they  are  set  forth  in  the  Thirty-nine  Articles  of  Religion. 

"  II.  This  church  recognizes  and  adheres  to  Episcopacy, 
not  as  of  divine  right,  but  as  a  very  ancient  and  desirable 
form  of  church  polity. 

"  III.  This  church,  retaining  a  liturgy  which  shall  not 
be  imperative  or  repressive  of  freedom  in  prayer,  accepts 
the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  as  it  was  revised,  proposed, 
and  recommended  for  use  by  the  general  convention  of 


326     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 

the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  A. D.  1785,  reserving  full 
liberty  to  alter,  abridge,  enlarge,  and  amend  the  same, 
as  may  seem  most  conducive  to  the  edification  of  the 
people,  '  provided  that  the  substance  of  the  faith  be  kept 
entire.' 

"  IV.  This  Church  condemns  and  rejects  the  following 
erroneous  and  strange  doctrines  as  contrary  to  God's  Word  : 

"  First,  that  the  Church  of  Christ  exists  only  in  one  order 
or  form  of  ecclesiastical  polity ; 

"  Second,  that  Christian  ministers  are  '  priests  '  in  another 
sense  than  that  in  which  all  believers  are  '  a  royal  priest- 
hood ' ; 

"  Third,  that  the  Lord's  Table  is  an  altar  on  which  the 
oblation  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  is  offered  anew  to 
the  Father ; 

"  Fourth,  that  the  presence  of  Christ  in  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per is  a  presence  in  the  elements  of  bread  and  wine ; 

"  Fifth,  that  regeneration  is  inseparably  connected  with 
baptism." 

At  a  general  council  of  the  Reformed  Episcopal  Church, 
held  at  Chicago,  111.,  in  May,  1874,  articles  of  religion  were 
adopted,  thirty- five  in  number.  They  follow  closely  the 
Anglican  articles  of  religion,  with  such  changes  as  are  in- 
dicated by  the  principles  adopted  in  1873.  At  the  same 
meeting  of  the  general  council  a  revised  Book  of  Common 
Prayer  was  also  adopted.  The  church  recognizes  but  two 
orders  in  the  ministry,  that  of  presbyter  and  that  of  deacon. 
It  holds  that  the  episcopate  is  not  an  order  but  an  office, 
the  bishop  being  simply  first  presbyter.  The  bishops  do 
not  constitute  a  separate  house  in  the  general  council  as  in 
the  general  convention  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 
They  preside  over  synods  or  jurisdictions,  which  correspond 


PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  BODIES. 


327 


more  or  less  closely  to  dioceses  and  jurisdictions  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 

The  Reformed  Episcopal  Church  has  83  organizations, 
84  church  edifices,  valued  at  $1,615,101,  and  8455  com- 
municants. It  is  represented  in  twelve  States,  including 
Virginia  and  South  Carolina,  and  it  has  two  synods  and 
three  missionary  jurisdictions.  The  average  seating  capac- 
ity of  the  edifices  is  285,  and  their  average  value  $19,227. 
There  are  2  halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  300. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATBS. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Delaware  

2 

2 

650 

$16,500 

J39 

Illinois  

IO 

IO 

4,250 

225,800 

1,755 

Maryland  

4 

5 

i,375 

46,000 

285 

Massachusetts  

2 

2 

850 

44,000 

311 

Michigan  

2 

2 

350 

8,100 

102 

Missouri  

2 

2 

650 

25,000 

125 

New  Jersey  

2 

2 

725 

44,500 

326 

New  York  

4 

4 

1,775 

280,400 

743 

Ohio  

3 

2 

I,IOO 

33,7oo 

257 

Pennsylvania  

13 

15 

5,800 

870,000 

2,640 

Virginia  

2 

2 

425 

2,700 

49 

South  Carolina  (col- 

ored)   

37 

36 

5,975 

18,401 

1,723 

Total 83        84       23,925    $1,615,101       8,455 


SUMMARY  BY  SYNODS. 

SYNODS. 

Chicago 13         12         4,850      $220,800 

New  York  and  Phila- 
delphia    23  25  9,800  1,255,400 

Missionary  Jurisdic- 
tion of  the  South .  6  7  1,800  48,700 

Missionary  Jurisdic- 
tion of  the  West 
and  Northwest ...  4  4  1,500  71,800 

Special     Missionary 


Jurisdiction  of  the 

South  (colored) ...       37        36 

Total ,,.       83        84 


5,975 


18,401 


1,684 

4,i59 

334 

555 
1,723 


23,925   $1,615,101 


328    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 

The  totals  of  the  two  bodies  are:  Organizations,  5102  ; 
church  edifices,  5103;  seating  capacity,  1,360,877;  value 
of  church  property,  $82,835,418;  communicants,  540,509. 

The  Reformed  Episcopal  Church  adds  no  considerable 
number  to  the  communicants  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church,  except  in  Pennsylvania  (2640),  Illinois  (1755),  and 
South  Carolina  (1723).  It  contributes  to  the  total  valua^ 
tion  of  church  property  upward  of  $1,600,000. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

THE   REFORMED   BODIES. 

THERE  are  three  Reformed  churches  in  the  United 
States,  the  chief  of  which  are  the  Reformed  Church  in 
America  and  the  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States. 
The  Reformed  churches  belong  to  the  Presbyterian  fam- 
ily in  polity  and  doctrine,  though  their  standards  are  not 
those  of  Westminster  and  their  ecclesiastical  terms  differ 
somewhat  from  those  generally  used  by  the  Presbyte- 
rian churches.  They  have  consistories  instead  of  sessions, 
classes  instead  of  presbyteries,  and  general  synods  instead 
of  general  assemblies.  The  origin  of  the  Reformed  Church 
in  America  is  traced  to  the  Reformed  Church  of  Holland ; 
that  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States  to  the 
Reformed  Church  in  Germany.  For  the  sake  of  distinction 
the  former  is  popularly  called  the  Reformed  Dutch  and  the 
latter  the  Reformed  German  Church.  These  two  bodies, 
both  of  which  looked  for  aid  and  direction  to  the  classis  of 
Amsterdam  until  late  in  the  eighteenth  century,  agreed  in 
1891,  through  their  general  synods,  upon  a  plan  of  federal 
union,  by  which,  if  it  should  be  ratified  by  the  classes, 
while  each  retained  its  autonomy,  a  community  of  interest 
would  be  established  respecting  missionary  and  educational 
matters,  and  a  federal  synod,  representing  both  churches 
and  having  advisory  powers,  would  be  held  annually.  The 
plan,  however,  failed,  the  classes  of  the  Reformed  Dutch 

329 


330    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 

Church  declining  to  ratify  it,  and  the  general  synod  of 
that  body  regretfully  declaring  the  fact,  in  1893. 


I. — THE   REFORMED   CHURCH   IN   AMERICA. 

The  Rev.  Jonas  Michaelius  organized  in  New  Amster- 
dam, in  1628,  the  first  church  of  this  order  in  this  country. 
It  embraced  fifty  communicants,  "Walloons  and  Dutch." 
As  the  Dutch  immigrants  settled  along  the  Hudson,  on 
Long  Island,  and  in  New  Jersey,  congregations  of  their 
faith  were  gathered.  A  number  of  these  churches  are  still 
in  existence  upward  of  two  centuries  old.  The  first  organ- 
ization, termed  the  "coetus,"  was  formed  in  1747  by  per- 
mission of  the  classis  of  Amsterdam.  It  had  no  ecclesias- 
tical power,  but  was  merely  advisory,  the  classis  reserving 
all  power  to  itself.  In  1755  a  minority  of  the  "coetus," 
dissatisfied  with  the  assumption  by  that  body  of  larger 
powers,  formed  a  "  conference."  This  was  the  beginning 
of  a  sharp  controversy,  which  was  ended  in  1770  in  the 
union  of  the  two  bodies  in  a  self-governing  organization. 
This  system  was  further  developed  in  1793,  and  finally 
perfected  in  the  present  ecclesiastical  government  of  the 
church. 

The  stream  of  Dutch  immigration  ceased  to  flow  in  the 
latter  half  of  the  seventeenth  century.  This  fact,  with  cer- 
tain peculiar  difficulties  encountered  by  the  church,  accounts 
for  its  failure  to  attain  to  greater  numerical  strength.  The 
Dutch  language  having  ceased  to  be  the  language  of  its 
worship  many  years  ago,  the  word  "  Dutch  "  was  eliminated 
from  its  title  in  1867.  In  consequence  of  a  considerable 
immigration  from  Holland  in  late  years,  which  has  settled 
in  Michigan  and  other  Western  States,  there  are  many 


THE  REFORMED  BODIES.  331 

congregations  in  that  section  in  which  the  Dutch  tongue  is 
now  used. 

The  Reformed  Church  accepts  the  Apostles',  the  Nicene, 
and  the  Athanasian  creeds,  the  Belgic  Confession,  the  can- 
ons of  the  Synod  of  Dort,  and  the  Heidelberg  Catechism 
as  its  doctrinal  symbols.  It  is  a  distinctively  Calvinistic 
body.  The  church  has  a  liturgy  for  use  in  public  worship, 
including  an  order  of  Scripture  lessons,  an  order  of  worship, 
and  forms  of  prayer.  These,  however,  are  not  obligatory, 
and  are  not  generally  used.  Forms  for  the  administration 
of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  for  the  ordination  of 
ministers,  etc.,  are  imperative. 

The  church  has  thirty-three  classes  in  this  country. 
There  are  also  four  particular  synods,  which  consist  of 
representatives  from  classes.  Above  the  particular  synods 
is  a  general  synod,  which  meets  annually.  The  particular 
synod  of  New  York  embraces  8  classes ;  that  of  Albany,  9  ; 
that  of  Chicago,  7 ;  and  that  of  New  Brunswick,  9. 

The  largest  classis  is  that  of  New  York,  which  has  8881 
communicants,  with  church  property  valued  at  $3,308,000. 
The  total  number  of  communicants  is  92,970.  These  be- 
long to  572  organizations,  and  own  670  edifices,  only  8 
halls,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  751,  being  rented  for 
public  worship.  These  church  edifices  have  a  total  value 
of  $10,340,159,  which  indicates  an  average  for  each  church 
of  $15,439.  The  average  seating  capacity  is  385. 

The  denomination  is  represented  only  in  fourteen  States. 
New  York  has  52,228  communicants,  and  New  Jersey 
24,057.  In  these  two  States,  therefore,  are  more  than 
four  fifths  of  the  entire  number  of  communicants,  with 
church  property  valued  at  $9,536,309,  or  within  $803,850 
of  the  entire  valuation  for  the  denomination. 


332     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

25 

27 

9,895 

$169,800 

2,820 

3 

3 

700 

9,000 

172 

26 

28 

8,104 

90,900 

2,605 

2 

2 

4OO 

2,500 

46 

45 

50 

17,229 

262,800 

6,609 

3 

3 

750 

IO,OOO 

145 

4 

3 

960 

7,500 

344 

124 

155 

65,445 

2,091,029 

24,057 

302 

358 

142,380 

7,445,280 

52,228 

2 

2 

205 

750 

89 

2 

2 

600 

8,100 

156 

8 

10 

4,930 

178,500 

1,756 

15 

H 

2,899 

23,900 

594 

II 

13 

3,425 

40,100 

i,349 

STATBS. 

Illinois 25 

Indiana 

Iowa 

Kansas 

Michigan 45 

Minnesota  

Nebraska 

New  Jersey 124 

New  York 

North  Dakota 

Ohio 

Pennsylvania 

South  Dakota 15 

Wisconsin 

Total 572      670     257,922  $10,340, 1 59     92,970 


SUMMARY  BY  CLASSES. 


Albany 17 

Bergen 19 

Bergen  (South  Clas- 

sis) 12 

Dakota 18 

Grand  River 21 

Greene 7 

Holland 19 

Hudson 14 

Illinois 17 

Iowa  23 

Kingston 19 

Long  Island  (North 

Classis) 22 

Long  Island  (South 

Classis) 20 

Michigan 9 

Monmouth 10 

Montgomery 31 

Newark 17 

New  Brunswick ....  12 

New  York 30 


18 

8,250 

$360,000 

3,340 

22 

9,200 

316,000 

2,764 

H 

6,100 

327,5oo 

3,094 

17 

3,604 

30,850 

749 

23 

8,455 

131,400 

3,327 

8 

73,5oo 

1,603 

22 

6^024 

72,000 

2,530 

l3/£ 

5,235 

121,150 

2,087 

19 

4,985 

65,000 

984 

25  I 

6,944 

85,700 

2,395 

7,150 

146,800 

2,766 

35       15,090        547,5oo      4,062 


28 

13,345 

896,500 

4,443 

IO 

4,050 

76,000 

1,013 

12 

4,200 

94,079 

1,417 

33 

11,025 

338,500 

3,513 

21 

9,105 

538,500 

4,175 

16 

8,805 

189,600 

2,708 

33 

19,179 

3,308,000 

8,881 

THE  REFORMED  BODIES. 


333 


SUMMARY  BY  CLASSES. — Continued. 


CLASSES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

Orange  

...          26 

28 

10,790 

$235,150 

3,649 

Paramus  , 

...         24 

34 

11,355 

358,800 

3,966 

Passaic  

12 

14 

5,975 

153,250 

2,272 

Philadelphia  

..          13 

17 

8,025 

216,300 

2,880 

Poughkeepsie  

..          14 

17 

6,475 

234,000 

2,262 

Raritan  

..          14 

19 

9,080 

l6l,000 

3,423 

Rensselaer  

14 

18 

5,330 

124,380 

2,09O 

Rochester  

13 

17 

5,38o 

89,200 

2,415 

Saratoga  

13 

J3 

4,775 

144,800 

!,973 

Schenectady  

II 

18 

6,585 

186,500 

2,506 

Schoharie  

...          17 

17 

5,286 

60,I50 

1,138 

Ulster  

...       18 

20 

6,740 

187,250 

2,593 

Westchester  

...       15 

20 

7,125 

306,400 

2,021 

Wisconsin  , 

...       31 

31 

11,105 

164,400 

3,93i 

Total 572      670     257,922  $10,340,159     92,970 


2. — THE  REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

The  original  source  of  this  body  was  the  Reformed 
Church  established  in  the  Palatinate,  one  of  the  provinces 
of  Germany.  On  account  of  severe  persecutions  the  Pala- 
tine reformers  were  scattered,  many  finding  refuge  in  this 
country  in  the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century.  There 
were  Germans  among  the  American  colonists,  however, 
before  this  period.  From  1700  to  1746  many  thousand 
settled  in  Pennsylvania  and  elsewhere,  and  a  number  of 
Reformed  congregations  having  been  gathered,  a  "  ccetus  " 
(an  ecclesiastical  organization  having  advisory  powers)  was 
formed  in  1 747,  the  same  year  that  the  Reformed  Dutch 
organized  their  "  ccetus  "  in  New  York. 

In  response  to  most  earnest  appeals  from  the  Rev. 
Michael  Schlatter,  who  wa^  a  sort  of  general  missionary 


334     RELIGIOUS  FORCES   OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 

and  organizer,  gathering  scattered  members  together  and 
ministering  to  pastorless  organizations,  the  Reformed 
Church  of  Holland  raised  nearly  $60,000,  the  interest  of 
which  was  devoted  to  the  erection  of  churches  and  school- 
houses  and  the  support  of  ministers.  Help  was  also  re- 
ceived for  the  education  of  youth  from  a  society  in  London. 

In  1 793  the  "  ccetus  "  became  a  synod  and  the  Reformed 
German  Church  an  entirely  independent  body.  There  are 
now  8  synods,  6  of  which  are  English  and  2  German.  The 
Eastern  Synod  embraces  1 1  classes ;  that  of  Ohio,  6 ;  that 
of  the  Northwest,  10;  that  of  Pittsburg,  5;  that  of  the 
Potomac,  9 ;  the  German  Synod  of  the  East,  5  ;  the  Cen- 
tral Synod,  4;  and  the  Synod  of  the  Interior,  5. 

Below  the  synods  are  classes,  corresponding  to  presby- 
teries in  the  Presbyterian  churches,  and  above  the  synods 
is  a  general  synod,  which  is  the  supreme  legislative  and 
judicial  body  of  the  church.  It  meets  once  every  three 
years,  and  was  organized  in  1863. 

Like  the  Reformed  (Dutch)  Church,  the  Reformed 
(German)  Church  is  Calvinistic  in  doctrine.  Its  symbol 
is  the  Heidelberg  Catechism,  which  is  also  accepted  by 
the  former  body.  In  substance  the  Heidelberg  Catechism 
is  Augustinian,  says  Prof.  T.  G.  Apple,  respecting  the  doc- 
trines of  natural  depravity  and  salvation  by  free  grace 
alone ;  but  it  does  not,  like  some  other  Calvinistic  symbols, 
teach  a  decree  of  reprobation  as  well  as  a  decree  of  election. 
The  Reformed  Church  has  a  liturgical  system  of  worship, 
but  its  use  is  optional  with  congregations. 

The  Reformed  (German)  Church  (it  dropped  the  word 
"  German  "  from  its  title  in  1869)  has  fifty-five  classes.  It 
is  represented  in  twenty- eight  States  and  in  the  District  of 
Columbia,  and  has  many  congregations  in  foreign  mission 


THE  REFORMED  BODIES. 


335 


fields.  Half  its  organizations  and  considerably  more  than 
half  its  communicants  are  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania.  It 
is  also  particularly  strong  in  the  State  of  Ohio,  Maryland 
ranking  third.  The  total  value  of  its  church  property  is 
$7,975,583.  Its  1510  organizations  own  1304  edifices, 
with  an  average  seating  capacity  of  410  and  an  average 
value  of  $6115.  There  are  61  halls,  with  accommodations 
for  6504. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


California 

Colorado 

Connecticut 

Delaware 

Dist.  of  Columbia , 

Illinois 

Indiana 

Iowa 

Kansas 

Kentucky 

Maryland 

Massachusetts 

Michigan 

Minnesota 

Missouri 

Nebraska 

New  Jersey 

New  York.. 

North  Carolina  . . . 

North  Dakota 

Ohio 

Oregon  

Pennsylvania 

South  Dakota 

Tennessee 

Virginia , 

Washington 

West  Virginia 
Wisconsin .  . 


Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 

muni- 
cants. 

3 

2 

300 

$II,OOO 

68 

i 

I 

250 

20,000 

35 

i 

I 

450 

18,000 

150 

i 

I 

200 

2,OOO 

69 

2 

2 

375 

31,000 

301 

3O 

2$% 

7,500 

73,200 

1,783 

60 

56 

16,080 

231,775 

6,269 

34 

31 

7,635 

66,350 

2,513 

25 

H 

3,257 

49,900 

984 

10 

6 

1,630 

37,500 

1,350 

67 

63 

27,320 

484,225 

10,741 

i 

i 

450 

56,000 

62 

17 

12 

3,675 

47,900 

1,013 

IO 

8 

1,511 

17,820 

730 

II 

7 

i,475 

18,800 

586 

14 

IO 

1,500 

14,100 

968 

5 

5 

23,800 

830 

13 

5^850 

204,200 

3,432 

39 

36 

14,150 

49,000 

2,903 

3 

i 

200 

600 

161 

294 

283 

89,879 

1,128,275 

35,846 

10 

6 

I,OOO 

29,300 

298 

754 

618 

322,173 

5,121,328 

122,944 

16 

13 

2,700 

11,750 

1,000 

3 

3 

450 

2,500 

236 

20 

22 

7,260 

44,800 

1,819 

5 

4 

550 

11,410 

167 

6 

5 

1,850 

25,300 

794 

55 

13,275 

5,966 

Total.  . 


1,510    1,304     534,254    $7,975,583    204,018 


336    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  CLASSES. 


CLASSES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 

Value of 
Church 

Com- 
muni- 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

Allegheny  

13 

13 

4,502 

$I24,IOO 

1,767 

Carlisle  

21 

I7# 

6,780 

82,900 

2,212 

Chicago  

7 

7 

2,050 

35,500 

645 

Cincinnati  

18 

18 

7,030 

2l6,IOO 

3,635 

Clarion  

29 

26^ 

8,740 

74,600 

2,999 

Eastern  Ohio  

28 

23^ 

8,950 

46,600 

3,389 

East  Pennsylvania  . 

49 

3i 

27,600 

393,45° 

IO,O2I 

East  Susquehanna. 

45 

3'* 

18,600 

187,000 

4,751 

Erie  

27 

27 

7,369 

136,500 

4,521 

German  Maryland  . 

8 

7 

3>625 

94,525 

2,463 

German  Philadelp'a 

18 

18 

9,539 

376,8oo 

6,116 

Gettysburg  

24 

24 

11,500 

145,600 

4,987 

Goshenhoppen  

3i 

23 

18,020 

285,500 

7,3o6 

Heidelberg  

27 

33 

8,735 

114,000 

4,642 

Illinois  

21 

10 

4,850 

31,700 

776 

Indiana  

31 

27 

6,550 

138,450 

3,530 

Iowa  

18 

15 

4,050 

25,500 

846 

Juniata  

50 

48 

15,110 

168,036 

5,400 

Kansas  

15 

9 

2,250 

31,700 

678 

Lancaster  (Ohio)  .  . 

29 

25 

8,300 

77,5oo 

2,656 

Lancaster  (Penn.) 

40 

32 

i6,575 

257,100 

5,508 

Lebanon  

54 

33 

30,650 

180,300 

11,456 

Lehigh  

35 

37 

20,750 

408,  loo 

9,208 

Lincoln  

4 

2 

400 

11,200 

169 

Maryland  

57 

55 

23,220 

412,500 

8,112 

Mercersburg  

25 

23^ 

9,945 

134,667 

3,029 

Miami  

55 

54 

17,539 

176,300 

5,678 

Milwaukee  

20 

20 

5,320 

57,650 

2,611 

Minnesota  

21 

19 

3,536 

37,420 

1,450 

Missouri  

9 

6 

1,075 

6,800 

541 

Nebraska  

14 

ii 

i,75o 

34,100 

973 

New  York  

8 

8 

3,320 

215,200 

1,871 

North  Carolina.  .  .  . 

39 

36 

14,150 

49,000 

2,903 

Philadelphia  

30 

28^ 

12,225 

509,600 

5,454 

Portland  (Oregon). 

18 

12 

1,850 

51,710 

533 

Saint  John's  

24 

22^ 

7,475 

111,550 

4,440 

Saint  Joseph's  

42 

33 

10,825 

100,600 

2,332 

Saint  Paul's  

20 

I9# 

5,750 

84,000 

2,585 

Schuylkill  
Sheboygan  

a 

11 

21,490 
6,805 

517,900 
74,600 

11,282 
3,oo7 

Somerset  

36 

33 

8,926 

100,650 

3,169 

South  Dakota  

16 

14 

2,900 

12,350 

1,098 

Tiffin  

34 

3i 

9,186 

104,750 

2,396 

THE  REFORMED  BODIES. 


337 


SUMMARY  BY  CLASSES. — Continued. 


Tohickon 

Tuscarawas 

Ursinus 

Virginia 

Westmoreland 

West  New  York. . . 
West  Pennsylvania 
West  Susquehanna 

Wichita 

Wyoming 

Zion's  (Ind.) 

Zion's  (Penn.) 

Total 1,510   1,304     534,254   $7,975>583   204,018 


Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

39 

24  i/i 

21,235 

$257,350 

7,636 

45 

42 

13,650 

144,500 

4,665 

12 

10 

2,360 

24,050 

1,306 

24 

26 

8,560 

64,100 

2,283 

31 

28 

10,550 

200,400 

3,962 

9 

9 

4,350 

86,000 

2,583 

6 

6 

1,925 

23,300 

905 

5o 

39X 

14,840 

182,000 

4,236 

12 

6 

1,407 

30,200 

351 

37 

34 

12,070 

179,250 

5,257 

28 

28 

7,205 

90,600 

3,435 

34 

22 

l6,2OO 

259,725 

4,254 

3. — THE   CHRISTIAN   REFORMED   CHURCH. 

This  body  is  a  branch  of  an  organization  of  the  same 
name  in  Holland.  In  1835  there  was  a  secession  from  the 
Reformed  Church  of  Holland  of  ministers  and  others  who 
were  dissatisfied  with  the  prevailing  tone  of  the  doctrinal 
teaching  of  the  State  church  and  with  some  features  of  its 
government.  This  was  the  origin  of  the  Christian  Re- 
formed Church  of  Holland.  It  has  been  represented  in 
this  country  many  years.  In  1882  its  numbers  were  in- 
creased by  a  secession  of  ministers  and  members  of  the 
particular  synod  of  Chicago,  Reformed  (Dutch)  Church, 
because  of  the  refusal  of  the  general  synod  of  the  latter 
body  to  denounce  freemasonry  and  to  make  connection 
with  that  order  a  subject  of  church  discipline.  Finding 
the  position  of  the  Christian  Reformed  Church  more  to 
their  mind,  they  united  with  it.  In  1889  the  church  was 
still  further  increased  by  the  accession  of  a  number  of  con- 


338     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


gregations  belonging  to  the  True  Reformed  Church,  organ- 
ized in  1822  by  a  number  of  ministers  who  had  seceded 
from  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church. 

The  Christian  Reformed  Church  has  seven  classes  and 
one  synod.  Connected  with  the  classes  are  99  organiza- 
tions, with  1 06  edifices,  valued  at  $428,500,  and  12,470 
communicants.  More  than  half  of  the  latter  are  to  be  found 
in  the  State  of  Michigan.  The  average  value  of  the  church 
edifices  is  $4042,  and  the  average  seating  capacity  318. 
There  are  4  halls,  with  accommodations  for  200  persons. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Illinois   

Organi- 
zations. 

7 

Church 
Edifices. 

g 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

2.2CO 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$20.OOO 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

782 

Indiana    

I 

2 

•3QO 

3.OOO 

•3  2O 

Iowa  

6 

6 

I.QCO 

IQ.OOO 

62  ^ 

Kansas  

2 

2 

22? 

•3,OOO 

IOQ 

Michigan  

44 

C2 

0 

IQ.^oO 

174.,  IOO 

7.782 

Minnesota 

A 

I 

IOO 

800 

Q-3 

Nebraska        .    .. 

2 

I 

IOO 

I,2OO 

Q6 

New  Jersey  .  . 

13 

4_72C 

i  K,I;OO 

1.^2^ 

New  York  

8 

I,QQC 

4.8,800 

IT  -3 

North  Dakota.    .. 

I 

i 

I2C 

soo 

•37 

Ohio  

•3 

•a 

750 

IQ.COO 

2C7 

South  Dakota.    .  . 

4. 

4. 

/  J 

830 

6,000 

->8o 

4. 

4, 

I,O2S 

8,  loo 

4.CO 

Total 99      106       33,755       $428,500     12,470 


SUMMARY  BY  CLASSES. 


Grand  Rapids 16  18 

Hackensack 13  14 

Holland 17  19 

Hudson 8  8 

Illinois 12  13 

Iowa 20  17 

Muskegon 13  17 


8,630 

4,245 
6,340 
2,475 
3,725 
3,530 
4,810 


$85,900 
127,500 
47,500 
36,800 
49,100 
33,5oo 
48,200 


2,900 


1,105 

1,637 
1,292 


Total 99      106       33,755       $428,500     12,470 


THE  REFORMED  BODIES. 


339 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES  OF  ALL  REFORMED  BODIES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 

z  a.  lions. 

Church 
Edifices 

Seating 
Ca- 

Value of 
Church 

Com- 
muni- 

pacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

California  

3 

2 

300 

$11,000 

68 

Colorado  

i 

I 

250 

20,000 

35 

Connecticut  

i 

I 

45° 

l8,000 

150 

Delaware  

i 

I 

20O 

2,OOO 

69 

Dist.  of  Columbia  . 

2 

2 

375 

31,000 

301 

Illinois  

62 

61 

19,645 

272,000 

5,385 

Indiana  

64 

61 

17,080 

243,775 

6,761 

Iowa  

66 

65 

17,689 

176,250 

5,741 

Kansas  

29 

1  8 

3,882 

55,400 

M39 

Kentucky  

10 

6 

1,630 

37,5CO 

i,35o 

Maryland  

67 

63 

27,320 

484,225 

10,741 

Massachusetts  
Michigan  

i 
106 

i 
114 

45° 
40,284 

56,000 
484,800 

62 
15,404 

Minnesota.  

17 

12 

2,361 

28,620 

968 

Missouri  

ii 

7 

i,475 

18,800 

586 

Nebraska  

20 

H 

2,560 

22,800 

1,408 

New  Jersey  

142 

174 

7i,749 

2,230,329 

26,210 

New  York  

323 

379 

150,225 

7,698,280 

55,973 

North  Carolina  .  .  . 

39 

36 

14,150 

49,000 

2,9°3 

North  Dakota  

6 

4 

530 

1,850 

287 

Ohio  

299 

288 

91,229 

1,155,875 

36,255 

Oregon  

10 

6 

1,000 

29,300 

298 

Pennsylvania  

762 

628 

327,103 

5,299,828 

124,700 

South  Dakota  

35 

3i 

6,429 

41,650 

1,883 

Tennessee  

3 

3 

450 

2,500 

236 

Virginia  

20 

22 

7,260 

44,800 

1,819 

Washington  

5 

4 

550 

11,410 

167 

West  Virginia  .... 

6 

5 

1,850 

25,300 

794 

Wisconsin  

70 

7i 

17,725 

191,950 

7,765 

Total.  . 

2,l8l    2 

,080 

825,931  $ 

18,744,242 

309,458 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

THE     SALVATION     ARMY. 

THIS  body  was  organized  in  London,  England,  in 
1876,  by  William  Booth.  He  had  been  engaged  for  sev- 
eral years  previously  in  evangelistic  work  in  the  east  of 
London,  chiefly  among  those  who  were  beyond  the  reach 
of  ordinary  religious  influences.  He  was  formerly  a  min- 
ister of  the  Methodist  New  Connection,  withdrawing  from 
the  regular  ministry  in  1861  for  independent  evangelistic 
work.  The  new  organization  was  speedily  introduced  into 
various  countries  of  Europe,  into  the  United  States,  Aus- 
tralia, and  elsewhere. 

In  doctrine  the  Salvation  Army  is  thoroughly  evangeli- 
cal. Its  teachings  are  given  in  a  book  which  has  been  pre- 
pared by  the  "  general "  of  the  Army,  Mr.  Booth.  This 
book  of  doctrine  and  discipline  sets  forth  the  ordinary  doc- 
trines respecting  God  and  Christ ;  the  sinfulness  of  man  ; 
the  work  of  redemption ;  the  atonement,  which  is  described 
as  general ;  election,  of  which  the  Arminian  view  is  taken  ; 
the  Holy  Ghost ;  repentance  and  faith  as  conditions  of  sal- 
vation ;  the  forgiveness  of  sins ;  conversion ;  the  two  na- 
tures of  man ;  assurance,  setting  forth  the  Methodist  view ; 
sanctification,  which  is  emphasized  as  one  of  the  more  im- 
portant doctrines.  Entire  sanctification  is  described  as  a 
"  complete  deliverance."  "  Sin  is  destroyed  out  of  the 
soul,  and  all  the  powers,  faculties,  possessions,  and  influ- 
ences of  the  soul  are  given  up  to  the  service  and  glory  of 

340 


THE  SALVATION  ARMY.  341 

God."  No  fewer  than  seven  sections  of  the  Book  of  Dis- 
cipline are  given  to  the  doctrine  of  sanctification ;  back- 
sliding also  forms  a  section,  and  so  also  do  final  persever- 
ance, "  death  and  after,"  hell,  the  Bible,  and  baptism.  The 
Army  recognizes  women's  right  to  preach,  and  full  direc- 
tions are  given  how  to  proceed  "  in  getting  men  saved." 

The  government  is  military  in  form,  and  military  titles 
are  used  in  designating  the  various  officers,  and  military 
terms  in  describing  the  various  departments  of  the  work. 
The  officers  are:  (i)  the  commander-in-chief,  who  has  the 
general  direction  of  the  entire  army ;  (2)  the  chief  of  staff, 
who  has  the  oversight  of  all  the  business  at  the  war  office, 
known  as  headquarters ;  (3)  a  lieutenant-general,  who  trav- 
els under  the  direction  of  the  commander-in-chief  and  in- 
spects various  divisions ;  (4)  a  general,  who  has  command 
of  a  division ;  (5)  a  captain,  who  commands  a  single  corps ; 

(6)  a  lieutenant,  who  is  under  the  direction  of  the  captain ; 

(7)  a  color  sergeant,  who  has  charge  of  the  colors  and  car- 
ries them  in  procession ;  (8)  a  pay  master- sergeant,  or  treas- 
urer, who  cares  for  all  the  moneys  of  a  corps ;   (9)  a  pay- 
master-secretary.   There  are  also  sergeants  who  lead  bands, 
and  there  are  various  other  officers.     The  sergeants  are 
appointed  by  the  captains.     The  treasurers  and  secretaries 
are  recommended  for  appointment  to  the  generals  of  divis- 
ions, and  the  commissions  are  issued  by  the  general- in- chief. 
The  term  of  office  is  indefinite. 

All  members  of  the  Salvation  Army  on  active  duty  wear 
a  uniform.  The  places  where  meetings  are  regularly  held 
are  usually  called  "barracks." 

The  Salvation  Army  in  the  United  States  is  represented 
in  thirty  States,  also  in  the  territory  of  Utah  and  the  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia.  It  has  329  organizations,  with  27  church 


342     RELIGIOUS  FORCES   OF   THE    UNITED   STATES. 

edifices,  or  barracks,  which  are  valued  at  $38,150.  Of 
halls,  etc.,  300,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  87,101,  are 
occupied.  There  are  in  all  8742  communicants  or  mem- 
bers. It  is  not  the  chief  aim  of  the  army  to  make  converts 
for  membership  in  its  own  organization.  Many  of  those 
who  are  converted  through  its  labors  join  various  other 
denominations. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Or  ani 

Church 

Seating 

Value  of           Com- 

STATES. 

zations. 

Edifices. 

pacity. 

Property.          cants. 

California  

29 

3 

1,500 

$9,188         340 

Colorado  

IO 

i 

700 

2,000             214 

Connecticut  

6 

2 

600 

2,235       203 

Delaware  

i 

153 

District  of  Columbia  . 

i 

23 

Illinois  

28 

I 

250 

922 

Indiana  

4 

104 

Iowa  

16 

397 

Kansas  

12 

3°7 

Maine  

9 

265 

Maryland  

7 

4 

2,025 

5,130         213 

Massachusetts  

14 

i 

1,300 

1,000         656 

Michigan  

28 

5 

1,720 

7,575       1,099 

Minnesota  

13 

,3 

1,110 

800         460 

Missouri  

12 

340 

Montana  

3 

3° 

Nebraska  

i 

New  Hampshire  

i 

26 

New  Jersey  

4 

.    .     .          156 

New  York  

32 

625 

North  Carolina  

2 

2 

1,000 

2,200           59 

Ohio  

30 

I 

150 

875      655 

Oregon  

3 

44 

Pennsylvania  

30 

3 

1,250 

5,997         772 

Rhode  Island  

2 

31 

South  Dakota  

2 

Texas  

4 

35 

Utah  

I 

4 

Virginia  

3 

i 

450 

1,150           54 

Washington  
West  Virginia  

5 

2 

156 
7 

Wisconsin  

14 

322 

Total 329        27       12,055      $38, 150      8,742 


THE  SALVATION  ARMY.  343 

SUMMARY  BY  DIVISIONS. 


DIVISIONS. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com. 
muni- 
cants. 

Colorado  and  Wyo- 

ming   

10 

I 

700 

$2,000 

214 

Central  

22 

538 

East  Pennsylvania.. 
Iowa  and  Dakota.  .  . 

16 
18 

3 

1,250 

5,997 

405 
438 

Illinois  and  Indiana. 

22 

.  . 

•  •  •  . 

.... 

759 

Kansas,       Missouri, 

and  Nebraska  .  .  . 

25 

.  . 

.... 

.... 

666 

Massachusetts,  Con- 

necticut, and 

Rhode  Island  

22 

3 

1,900 

3,235 

890 

Maine      and      New 

Hampshire  

IO 

.... 

291 

Michigan  

28 

5 

1,720 

7,575 

1,099 

New  York  State  

16 

.... 

284 

Northwestern  

37 

4 

1,360 

'Soo 

1,049 

Ohio  

32 

i 

ISO 

875 

662 

Pittsburg  and  West 

Pennsylvania  .... 

12 

.... 

, 

326 

Pacific  Coast  

41 

3 

1,500 

9,188 

574 

Southern  

14 

7 

3,475 

8,480 

502 

Texas  

4 

35 

Total 329        27       12,055         $38,150       8,742 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

THE   SCHWENKFELDERS. 

KASPAR  VON  SCHWENKFELD,  a  nobleman  of  Germany, 
born  in  the  fifteenth  century,  differed  from  other  Reformers 
of  the  period  on  a  number  of  points  concerning  the  Lord's 
Supper,  the  efficacy  of  the  external  Word,  and  Christ's  hu- 
man nature.  He  did  not  form  a  separate  sect,  but  his  fol- 
lowers did  so  after  his  death,  taking  his  name.  Early  in 
the  eighteenth  century  they  were  scattered  by  persecution. 
Some  fled  to  Denmark,  whence  they  came  to  this  country- 
near  the  close  of  the  first  half  of  that  century.  They  set- 
tled in  Pennsylvania,  where  a  remnant  of  them  still  exist. 
They  celebrate  the  arrival  from  Denmark  annually,  making 
it  a  kind  of  festival. 

They  hold  in  general  to  the  doctrines  of  the  German 
Reformation,  with  a  few  peculiarities.  The  words  of 
Christ,  "  This  is  my  body,"  they  interpret  as  meaning, 
"  My  body  is  this,"  i.e.,  such  as  this  bread,  which  is  broken 
and  consumed,  and  affords  true  and  real  food  for  the  soul. 
The  external  Word,  as  they  believe,  has  no  power  to  renew ; 
only  the  internal  Word,  which  is  Christ  himself.  The  hu- 
man nature  of  Christ  was  not  a  created  substance.  Being 
associated  with  the  divine  essence,  it  had  a  majestic  dignity 
of  its  own. 

Among  the  customs  peculiar  to  the  Schwenkfelders  is 
a  service  of  prayer  and  exhortation  over  newly  born  infants, 

344 


THE    SCHWENKFELDERS  345 

repeated  in  church  when  the  mother  and  child  appear.  The 
churches  are  Congregational  in  government,  each  electing 
its  minister  and  officers  annually.  The  former  is  chosen  by 
lot. 

SUMMARY. 

Orrran;      rfc,,,v4.        Seating  Value  of  Com- 

STATE.  Or?ani-     g™rch  Ca-  Church  muni- 

zations.      Edifices.        padty  prOperty.  cants. 

Pennsylvania 4  6         1,925        $12,200         306 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

THE  SOCIAL  BRETHREN   CHURCH. 

THIS  is  a  small  body  of  about  twenty  congregations  in 
Arkansas  and  Illinois,  which  had  its  beginning  in  1867.  In 
that  year  a  number  of  members  of  various  bodies,  whose 
views  concerning  certain  passages  of  Scripture  and  certain 
points  of  discipline  were  not  in  harmony  with  the  churches 
to  which  they  belonged,  came  together  and  organized  a 
church  and  subsequently  an  association  of  churches.  In 
1887  a  discipline,  containing  a  statement  of  doctrine  and 
rules  for  the  government  of  the  churches  and  the  ordination 
of  ministers,  was  adopted.  The  Confession  of  Faith,  which 
consists  of  ten  articles,  sets  forth  the  commonly  received 
doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  the  Holy  Scriptures,  the  evangeli- 
cal doctrine  of  redemption,  regeneration,  and  sanctification, 
declaring  that  he  that  endures  unto  the  end  the  same  shall 
be  saved;  holding  that  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper 
are  ordinances  made  binding  by  Christ,  and  none  but  true 
believers  are  the  proper  subjects.  Three  modes  of  admin- 
istering baptism  are  recognized,  and  candidates  are  allowed 
to  choose  between  them.  The  eighth,  ninth,  and  tenth 
articles  declare  the  right  of  lay  members  to  free  suffrage 
and  free  speech,  that  candidates  shall  be  received  into  full 
membership  by  the  voice  of  the  church,  and  that  ministers 
are  called  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  not  to  preach  politics 
or  anything  else.  The  associations  correspond  in  general 

346 


THE  SOCIAL  BRETHREN  CHURCH.  347 

usage  to  Baptist  associations.  There  are  two  classes  in  the 
ministry,  ordained  and  licensed,  also  exhorters  and  stewards, 
as  in  the  Methodist  churches,  and  ordained  deacons,  as  in 
the  Baptist.  It  is  quite  evident  that  the  denomination  was 
originally  formed  of  Baptists  and  Methodists,  the  ideas  of 
both  these  denominations  and  some  of  their  usages  being 
incorporated  in  the  new  body. 

There  are  20  organizations,  with  1  1  edifices,  valued  at 
$8700,  and  913  members;  6  halls,  with  accommodations 
for  600,  are  occupied. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 

Seating  Value  of  Com- 


Arkansas  ..........         4          I  800          $1,000  83 

Illinois  ............       16        10         7,900  7,  700          830 


Total 20        ii         8,700          $8,700  913 

SUMMARY  BY  ASSOCIATIONS. 

ASSOCIATIONS. 

Northw'n  Arkansas.         4          i            800          $1,000  83 

Southern  Illinois  ...       10          8         7>ioo             6,900  675 

Wabash..                          6          2            800                800  i« 


Total 20        ii         8,700          $8,700 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

THE   SOCIETY   FOR   ETHICAL   CULTURE. 

THIS  society  was  founded  in  New  York  in  1876  by  Prof. 
Felix  Adler.  It  was  announced  as  "  the  new  religion  of 
morality,  whose  God  is  The  Good,  whose  church  is  the 
universe,  whose  heaven  is  here  on  earth,  and  not  in  the 
clouds."  Its  aims  have  been  thus  defined  by  Professor 
Adler: 

"  I.  To  teach  the  supremacy  of  the  moral  ends  above 
all  other  human  ends  and  interests. 

"  II.  To  teach  that  the  moral  law  has  an  immediate 
authority  not  contingent  on  the  truth  of  religious  beliefs 
or  of  philosophical  theories. 

"  III.  To  advance  the  science  and  art  of  right  living." 

Meetings  are  held  on  Sunday,  at  which  addresses  or 
lectures  are  delivered.  Societies  having  been  organized 
in  Chicago,  Philadelphia,  and  St.  Louis,  as  well  as  in  New 
York,  a  convention  was  held  in  1886,  and  "The  Union  of 
the  Societies  for  Ethical  Culture  "  formed,  with  a  consti- 
tution calling  for  annual  meetings.  The  four  societies 
report  an  aggregate  of  1064  members.  The  New  York 
society  has  a  cash  fund  in  hand  of  $60,000.  The  5  halls 
occupied  have  a  seating  capacity  of  6260. 

In  connection  with  the  New  York  Society  considerable 
educational  and  philanthropic  work  is  carried  on,  both  by 

348 


THE  SOCIETY  FOR  ETHICAL   CULTURE.  349 

men  and  women,  who  seek  the  necessitous  and  endeavor 
both  to  relieve  and  elevate  them,  and  also  to  prepare  them 
to  get  their  own  living. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Illinois 
Missouri 


Total 4         ..  1,064 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

I 

Church 
Edifices. 

Searing 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

I7C 

ri  

I 

*  /  j 
I  tJO 

ork.... 
Ivania  . 

I 
I 





e* 

600 

139 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

THE   SPIRITUALISTS. 

WHAT  is  known  as  modern  spiritualism  began  with 
"  demonstrations  "  in  the  Fox  family  in  Hydesville,  N.  Y., 
in  March,  1848.  The  same  phenomena  had  been  common 
in  Shaker  communities  before  that  date,  and,  indeed,  in 
almost  all  ages  and  among  many  different  peoples ;  but  it 
was  then  that  these  demonstrations,  generally  in  the  form 
of  rappings,  began  to  be  interpreted  as  communications 
from  the  disembodied  spirits  of  men  and  women  who  had, 
in  the  ordinary  course  of  nature,  passed  away,  but  whose 
spirits  were  still  in  a  living  and  active  state.  From  this 
time  individuals  began  to  investigate  these  spirit  manifesta- 
tions, circles  began  to  be  formed,  mediums  were  discovered, 
lecturers  recognized,  and  a  literature  established. 

Spiritualists  claim  that  the  miracles  of  Christ  are  ex- 
plained by  the  central  doctrine  of  their  belief,  and  they 
regard  the  demonstrations  of  spiritualism  as  establishing 
by  evidence  the  fact  of  a  future  life.  They  do  not  hold 
that  God  is  a  personal  being,  but  that  he  exists  in  all  things. 
Eternal  progression  is  the  law  of  the  spirit  world,  and  every 
individual  will  attain  supreme  wisdom  and  unalloyed  hap- 
piness. 

A  few  spiritualist  societies  employ  permanent  speakers, 
but  usually  they  appoint  lecturers  for  limited  terms,  varying 
from  a  week  to  several  months.  A  large  proportion  of  the 

350 


THE  SPIRITUALISTS.  351 

lecturers  are  mediums,  who  are  believed  to  speak  under 
the  influence  or  direction  of  the  spirit  who  guides  or  con- 
trols them.  They  follow  the  Scriptural  injunction :  "  Take 
no  thought  how  or  what  ye  shall  speak,  for  it  shall  be 
given  you  in  that  same  hour  what  ye  shall  speak."  When 
a  lecturer  appears  before  an  audience,  therefore,  he  asks 
that  a  subject  be  given  him,  and  when  he  receives  it  begins 
to  speak  upon  it  without  hesitation.  Summer  gatherings 
or  camp  meetings,  which  continue  from  one  to  ten  weeks, 
have  become  prominent  among  the  spiritualists.  In  1891 
twenty-two  such  meetings  were  held. 

The  spiritualists  report  334  organizations,  with  30  regu- 
lar church  edifices,  not  including  halls,  pavilions,  and  other 
places  owned  or  occupied  by  them.  There  are  45,030 
members,  and  the  value  of  the  property  reported,  which 
includes  camp  grounds  as  well  as  church  edifices,  pavilions, 
etc.,  is  $573,650.  Not  many  of  the  halls  are  owned  by 
them.  There  are  members  in  thirty-six  States,  besides  the 
District  of  Columbia  and  the  Territories  of  Oklahoma  and 
Utah.  Among  the  States  Massachusetts  has  the  greatest 
number,  7345  ;  New  York  stands  second,  with  6351  ;  and 
Pennsylvania  third,  with  4569.  There  are  307  halls,  with 
accommodations  for  72,522. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 

nrmr,;      <"•»,  -M,        Seating  Value  of  Com- 

STATBS.  Or?ani-    gjurch  c     *  Church  j 

zations.    Ed,fices.       padty  prOperty.  cants. 

Arkansas I  i  300  $1,000  25 

California 20  i  250  19*325  1,869 

Colorado 2  . .            600  275 

Connecticut 19  4  1,650  20,810  2,354 

District  of  Columbia  3  . .            475 

Florida 2  . .           750  65 

Georgia 2  . .           169 


352     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES.— Continued. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices 

seating 

Illinois  

7 

I 

350 

Indiana  

5 

Iowa  

13 

.  . 

.... 

Kansas  

9 

.  . 

.... 

Kentucky  

i 

.... 

Louisiana  

3 

.  . 

.... 

Maine  

21 

Maryland  

6 

.... 

Massachusetts  

61 

4 

4,250 

Michigan  

27 

I 

500 

Minnesota  

3 

.  . 

Missouri  

5 

3 

2,500 

Montana  

i 

Nebraska  

4 

.  . 

.... 

New  Hampshire  .  .  . 

6 

.... 

New  Jersey  
New  York  

2 

34 

i 

1,500 

Ohio  

25 

2 

I,OOO 

Oklahoma  

i 

Oregon  

6 

.  . 

.... 

Pennsylvania  

12 

7 

5,650 

Rhode  Island  

4 

.  . 

South  Carolina  

i 

Tennessee  

6 

4 

2,000 

Texas  

i 

Utah  

i 

Vermont  

10 

i 

500 

Virginia  

i 

Washington    
West  Virginia  

4 

i 

•• 



Wisconsin  

3 

.  . 

.... 

Wyoming  

i 

.... 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$10,500 
4,850 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

2,613 
627 

3OO 

40O 
15,650 

1  2O 
2,562 

66; 

269,710 
11,500 

7,345 
2,565 
coo 

13,100 

853 
20 

2QO 

*y 

672 

IOO 

33,250 

6,351 

930  751 

58,600  4,569 

150 

20 

36,000  1,075 

29 

80 

23,250  1,966 
12 


Total 334        30       20,450 


65 

27,000  354 
50 

$573,650  45,030 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

THE   THEOSOPHICAL   SOCIETY. 

THE  first  branch  of  this  society  in  the  United  States 
was  founded  in  New  York  in  November,  1875.  Its  de- 
clared objects  are : 

"  First,  to  form  a  nucleus  of  a  Universal  Brotherhood  of 
Humanity,  without  distinction  of  race,  creed,  or  color. 

"  Second,  to  promote  the  study  of  Aryan  and  other 
Eastern  literatures,  religions,  and  sciences,  and  demonstrate 
the  importance  of  that  study. 

"  Third,  to  investigate  unexplained  laws  of  nature  and 
the  psychical  powers  latent  in  man." 

A  circular,  issued  for  the  information  of  inquirers  by  the 
general  secretary  of  the  American  section,  states  that  the 
society  is  unsectarian  and  interferes  with  no  person's  re- 
ligious belief.  Another  circular,  entitled  "An  Epitome  of 
Theosophy,"  issued  by  the  secretary  of  the  executive  com- 
mittee of  the  Pacific  Coast,  states  that  some  of  the  funda- 
mental propositions  of  Theosophy,  or  "  Wisdom  Religion," 
are :  That  the  spirit  in  man  is  the  only  real  and  permanent 
portion  of  his  being ;  that  between  the  spirit  and  the  in- 
tellect is  a  "  plane  of  consciousness  in  which  experiences 
are  noted,"  and  that  this  spiritual  nature  is  "  as  susceptible 
of  culture  as  the  body  or  intellect  "  ;  that  spiritual  culture 
is  only  attainable  as  the  grosser  interests  and  passions  of 
the  flesh  are  subordinate ;  that  men,  systematically  trained, 

353 


354    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 

may,  by  their  interior  faculties,  "  attain  to  clear  insight  into 
the  immaterial,  spiritual  world  " ;  that,  as  a  result  of  this 
spiritual  training,  men  become  able  to  perform  works  usu- 
ally called  "miraculous." 

The  Theosophical  Society  has  branches  in  seventeen 
States  and  the  District  of  Columbia.  Forty  organizations 
are  reported,  with  695  members.  Of  the  40  organizations 
14  are  in  California.  There  are  38  halls,  with  accommo- 
dations for  1815. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


Organi- 
zations. 


Church 
Edifices. 


Seating 
pacity. 


Value  of 
Church 
Property. 


Com- 
muni- 
cants. 


California 14  i  200  $500  216 

Connecticut i  . .  ...  ....  13 

District  of  Columbia  i  ...  75  9 

Illinois 2  . .  ...  .  68 

Indiana I 

Iowa 2 

Louisiana I  . .  ...  .  10 

Maryland I  . .  ...  .  5 

Massachusetts 2  . .  ...  .  57 

Michigan I  . .  ...  .  8 

Minnesota i  . .  ...  .  10 

Missouri 2  . .  ...  .  13 

Nebraska 4  . .  ...  .  41 

New  York 2  IV  ...  .  97 

Ohio 2  . .  ...  .  52 

Pennsylvania I  . .  ...  .  25 

Washington I  . .  ...  25  9 

Wisconsin i  . .  ...  ....  9 

Total 40  i  200  $600  695 


CHAPTER  XL. 

THE   UNITED   BRETHREN. 

THE  United  Brethren  in  Christ  are  sometimes  con- 
founded with  the  Unitas  Fratrum  or  Moravian  Brethren. 
Though  some  of  the  historians  of  the  former  body  claim 
that  it  was  connected  in  some  way  with  the  Ancient  and 
Renewed  Brethren  of  Bohemia  and  Moravia,  the  United 
Brethren  in  Christ  and  the  Moravians  are  wholly  separate 
and  distinct,  and  have  no  actual  historical  relations.  The 
Moravians  were  represented  in  this  country  long  before  the 
United  Brethren  in  Christ  arose,  which  was  about  the  year 
1800. 

Philip  William  Otterbein,  a  native  of  Prussia  and  a  min- 
ister of  the  German  Reformed  Church,  and  Martin  Boehm, 
a  Mennonite  pastor  in  Pennsylvania,  of  Swiss  descent,  were 
the  chief  founders  of  the  church  of  the  United  Brethren 
in  Christ.  These  men,  preaching  with  great  earnestness 
and  fervency,  had  revivals  of  religion  in  Pennsylvania  and 
Maryland,  resulting  in  many  accessions  to  membership  of 
the  churches  they  served.  Others  of  like  mind  assisted 
them  in  the  ministry,  and  they  met  occasionally  in  con- 
ference concerning  their  work.  The  first  of  these  informal 
conferences  was  held  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  in  1789.  The 
movement,  though  meeting  with  some  opposition,  gradu- 
ally developed  into  a  separate  denomination.  At  a  con- 
ference held  in  Frederick  County,  Md.,  in  1800,  attended 

355 


356    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

by  Otterbein,  Boehm,  Geeting,  Newcomer,  and  nine  others, 
an  organization  was  formed  under  the  title  "  United  Breth- 
ren in  Christ,"  and  Otterbein  and  Boehm  were  elected 
superintendents  or  bishops.  The  preachers  increased  and 
new  churches  arose,  and  it  soon  became  necessary  to  have 
two  annual  conferences,  the  second  one  being  formed  in 
the  State  of  Ohio.  In  1815  the  denomination  completed 
its  organization  by  the  adoption  at  a  general  conference  of 
a  discipline,  rules  of  order,  and  a  confession  of  faith.  For 
some  years  the  work  of  the  church  was  mainly  among  the 
German  element.  It  still  has  German  conferences,  but  the 
great  bulk  of  its  members  are  English-speaking  people. 

In  doctrine,  practice,  and  usage  the  United  Brethren  are 
Methodistic.  They  have  classes  and  class  leaders,  stew- 
ards, exhorters,  local  and  itinerant  preachers,  presiding 
elders,  circuits,  quarterly  and  annual  conferences,  and  other 
Methodist  features.  Their  founders  were  in  fraternal  in- 
tercourse with  the  fathers  of  American  Methodism,  and 
in  spirit  and  purpose  the  two  bodies  were  not  dissimilar. 
The  United  Brethren,  though  not  historically  a  Methodist 
branch,  affiliate  with  the  Methodist  churches,  sending  rep- 
resentatives to  the  oecumenical  Methodist  conferences. 

Their  annual  conferences  are  composed  of  itinerant  and 
local  preachers,  and  lay  delegates  representing  the  churches. 
The  bishops  preside  in  turn  over  these  conferences,  and 
in  conjunction  with  a  committee  of  presiding  elders  and 
preachers  fix  the  appointments  of  the  preachers  for  the 
ensuing  year.  The  pastoral  term  is  three  years,  but  in 
particular  cases  it  may  be  extended  with  the  consent  of 
the  conference.  There  is  but  one  order  among  the  or- 
dained preachers,  that  of  elder.  Since  1889  it  has  been 
lawful  to  license  and  ordain  women.  Bishops  are  elected 


THE    UNITED  BRETHREN.  357 

by  the  general  conference,  not  to  life  service,  but  for  a 
quadrennium.  They  are,  however,  eligible  to  reelection. 
The  general  conference,  which  is  composed  of  ministerial 
and  lay  delegates,  elected  by  the  annual  conferences,  meets 
once  in  every  four  years,  and  has  full  authority,  under  cer- 
tain constitutional  restrictions,  to  legislate  for  the  whole 
church,  to  hear  and  decide  appeals,  etc. 

Their  doctrines,  which  are  Arminian,  are  expressed  in 
a  confession  of  faith,  consisting  of  thirteen  brief  articles, 
which  set  forth  the  generally  accepted  view  of  the  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  the  Scriptures,  justification  and  re- 
generation, the  Christian  Sabbath,  and  the  future  state. 
Concerning  the  sacraments,  it  holds  that  baptism  and  the 
Lord's  Supper  should  be  observed  by  all  Christians,  but 
the  mode  of  baptism  and  the  manner  of  celebrating  the 
Lord's  Supper  should  be  left  to  the  judgment  of  individ- 
uals. The  baptism  of  children  is  also  left  to  the  choice  of 
parents.  Sanctification  is  described  as  the  "  work  of  God's 
grace  through  the  word  and  the  Spirit,  by  which  those  who 
have  been  born  again  are  separated  in  their  acts,  words,  and 
thoughts  from  sin  and  are  enabled  to  live  unto  God." 

I. — THE   UNITED   BRETHREN   IN   CHRIST. 

The  confession,  first  adopted  in  1815,  was  revised  in 
1889  and  slightly  enlarged.  The  constitution  was  also 
changed  in  the  same  year,  resulting  in  a  division,  those 
who  held  that  the  changes  were  not  effected  in  a  consti- 
tutional way  withdrawing  from  the  general  conference  of 
1889  and  holding  a  separate  session.  The  latter  hold  to 
the  unchanged  confession  and  constitution,  and  insist  that 
they  are  the  legal  body  known  as  the  United  Brethren  in 


358     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

Christ.  Many  cases  to  settle  the  validity  of  the  action  of 
the  general  conference  of  1889  have  been  before  the  courts, 
and  considerable  church  property  is  involved  in  the  final 
decision,  which  may  not  be  reached  for  some  years  to 
come.  As  both  bodies  claim  the  same  title,  it  has  been 
deemed  necessary  to  put  after  it,  in  parentheses,  in  one 
case,  for  the  sake  of  distinction,  the  words  "  old  constitu- 
tion." This  designates  the  smaller  body,  which  refuses  to 
recognize  the  constitutionality  of  the  revision. 

The  general  conference  of  1885  created  a  commission  to 
revise  the  confession  of  faith  and  the  constitution,  express- 
ing at  the  same  time  its  opinion  that  two  clauses  in  the 
existing  constitution,  one  forbidding  the  changing  of  or 
doing  away  with  the  confession,  and  the  other  likewise  for- 
bidding any  change  in  the  constitution  except  upon  "  re- 
quest of  two  thirds  of  the  whole  society,"  were  "  in  their 
language  and  apparent  meaning  so  far-reaching  as  to  ren- 
der them  extraordinary  and  impracticable  as  articles  of 
constitutional  law."  The  commission  submitted  a  revised 
confession  and  constitution  to  the  churches,  as  directed,  for 
their  approval.  A  number  of  members  of  the  general 
conference  of  1885  protested  against  the  act  creating  the 
commission  as  unconstitutional  and  revolutionary.  When 
the  work  of  the  commission  was  submitted  for  approval 
they  and  those  who  agreed  with  them  refused  to  vote  on 
it,  insisting  that  the  matter  was  not  legally  before  the 
church.  Of  those  who  voted,  more  than  two  thirds  ap- 
proved the  revised  documents,  and  they  were  accordingly 
formally  proclaimed  by  the  general  conference  of  1889  as 
the  "fundamental  belief  and  organic  law  of  the  church." 
The  vote  of  the  conference  was  in  to  21.  When  the 
chairman  announced  that  the  conference  would  proceed 


THE    UNITED  BRETHREN.  359 

under  the  amended  constitution,  Bishop  Milton  Wright  and 
eleven  delegates  withdrew  to  meet  elsewhere  for  legislation 
under  the  old  constitution.  The  majority  claim  that  the 
constitution  of  1841  was  never  submitted  to  the  members 
of  conferences  or  of  the  church,  but  was  adopted  by  the 
general  conference  only. 

Two  important  changes  were  made  in  the  constitution, 
one  admitting  laymen  to  the  general  conference,  and  one 
modifying  the  section  prohibiting  membership  in  secret 
societies.  The  old  constitution  had  this  section :  "  There 
shall  be  no  connection  with  secret  combinations."  The 
new  constitution  modifies  this  by  providing  that  all  secret 
combinations  which  infringe  upon  the  rights  of  others 
and  whose  principles  are  injurious  to  the  Christian  char- 
acter of  their  members  are  contrary  to  the  Word  of  God, 
and  Christians  should  have  no  connection  with  them.  The 
new  section  also  empowers  the  general  conference  to  enact 
"rules  of  discipline  concerning  such  combinations." 

There  are  in  this  country  45  annual  conferences ;  also, 
one  in  Canada,  and  mission  districts  in  Africa  and  Ger- 
many. The  denomination  is  not  represented  in  any  of  the 
New  England  States,  nor  in  any  of  the  States  south  of 
Virginia,  Tennessee,  and  Missouri.  It  is  strongest  in  mem- 
bers in  the  three  States  of  Ohio  (47,678),  Indiana  (35,824), 
and  Pennsylvania  (33,951).  Its  total  membership  is  202,- 
474,  divided  among  3731  organizations,  with  2836  church 
edifices,  valued  at  $4,292,643.  The  average  seating  capac- 
ity of  the  edifices  is  288,  and  the  average  value  $1513. 
There  are  780  halls,  with  accommodations  for  93,035. 


360    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


California 

Colorado 

Idaho 

Illinois 320 

Indiana 569 

Iowa 

Kansas 

Kentucky 

Maryland 

Michigan 138 

Minnesota 

Missouri 105 

Nebraska 147 

New  York 

Ohio 

Oregon  

Pennsylvania 526 

South  Dakota  . . 

Tennessee 

Virginia 

Washington  .... 

West  Virginia 259 

Wisconsin 

Total 3,731   2,837    816,458  $4,292,643   202,474 


Organi- 

Church       S<gjnS 

Value  of 
Church 

zations. 

ces>       pacity. 

Property. 

24 

15           3,825 

$28,400 

18 

8           1,  800 

32,800 

2 

320 

245         67,495 

260,075 

569 

476      154,762 

551,636 

213 

148        29,8lO 

211,323 

322 

128^  33,200 

183,770 

13 

1  1        2,400 

4,700 

57 

55       14,300 

113,789 

138 

93      27,405 

133,250 

35 

23        4,975 

23,375 

105 

45  X  14,150 

47,825 

H7 

75      16,775 

84,950 

35 

23        5,975 

34,650 

745 

692    205,755 

1,198,870 

13 

8           2,100 

II,IOO 

526 

467    147,036 

1,086,135 

27 

7        i,i75 

4,150 

27 

18        5,600 

13,985 

7i 

66      11,500 

65,940 

18 

13        3,400 

22,000 

259 

175      54,i7o 

140,645 

47 

45        8,850 

39,275 

SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES. 


CONFERENCES. 


Allegheny 

Arkansas  Valley  . . . 

Auglaize 125 

California 

Central  Illinois  .... 

Central  Ohio 

Colorado   

Des  Moines 

East  German 

East  Nebraska 

East  Ohio 

East  Pennsylvania. . 
Elkhorn  and  Dakota 
Erie  . . 


153 

135   41,375 

$323,475 

9,709 

74 

28    7,090 

48,500 

4,100 

125 

n6X  39,!5° 

145,150 

6,187 

24 

15    3,825 

28,400 

588 

62 

52^  15,590 

67,900 

3,052 

68 

66   20,845 

91,850 

4,076 

18 

8    i,  800 

32,800 

585 

% 

6i*4  15,000 
771A  25,925 

82,070 
208,700 

4,521 
5,715 

67 

49  X  11,075 

66,200 

3,807 

127 

124   32,900 

204,570 

8,53i 

76 

73   23,661 

227,700 

7,030 

39 

12     1,  800 

3,7oo 

743 

117 

83   21,025 

100,435 

3,552 

THE   UNITED  BRETHREN. 


361 


SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES. — Continued. 


CONFERENCES. 


Illinois 

Indiana 

Iowa 

Kansas 

Kentucky  

Lower  W  abash  . . . 

Maryland 

Miami 

Michigan 

Minnesota 

Missouri 

Neosho 

North  Michigan  . . 

North  Ohio 

Northwest  Kansas. 

Ohio  German 

Oregon 

Parkersburg 

Pennsylvania 

Rock  River 

Saint  Joseph  

Sandusky  

Scioto 

South  Missouri  . . . 

Tennessee   

Upper  Wabash  . . . 

Virginia 

Walla  Walla 

West  Nebraska  . . . 

White  River 

Wisconsin .  . 


Organi- 
zations. 

Church      S^K 
Edifices'     paSy. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

69 

61      20,500 

$72,950 

2,784 

174 

116      52,000 

92,885 

9,  1  80 

114 

86      14,810 

129,253 

5,880 

97 

36^     9,835 

47,700 

3,051 

12 

10        2,250 

3,500 

507 

I64 

113      26,630 

74,225 

9,547 

39 

38        9,150 

62,889 

3,236 

101 

94      30,700 

303,950 

10,957 

39 

30        9,155 

45,900 

1,213 

42 

25         5,350 

25,425 

910 

67 

33  y*  10,400 

34,775 

2,927* 

96 

391A  10,675 

45,7oo 

3,763 

56 

24        8,000 

25,950 

2,499 

109 

96^  28,385 

142,550 

4,206 

54 

22)4     5>3°o 

40,270 

2,794 

46 

43  X     8,400 

100,450 

2,317 

H 

7        i,  800 

7,900 

284 

206 

144      48,115 

116,095 

io,377 

148 

137      45,625 

3H,375 

10,234 

29 

25^     3,ioo 

40,450 

1,104 

144 

130      41,947 

206,315 

10,112 

122 

H5      37,775 

252,560 

7,424 

148 

130^  35.550 

92,990 

8,510 

38 

12        3,750 

13,05° 

1,434 

27 

18        5,600 

13,985 

1,141 

83 

75      21,875 

83,175 

6,654 

127 

99       i8,355 

91,490 

7,346 

19 

14        3,700 

25,200 

803 

60 

*71A    4,550 

16,150 

1,476 

108 

96      23,265 

102,811 

5,92i 

47 

45        8,850 

39,275 

1,687 

Total 3,731   2,837     816,458    $4,292,643   202,474 


2. — THE   UNITED   BRETHREN   IN   CHRIST   (OLD   CON- 
STITUTION). 

This  body  consists  of  those  who  hold  that  the  act  of  the 
general  conference  of  1885,  creating  a  commission  to  revise 
the  confession  of  faith  and  constitution,  was  unconstitu- 


362     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 

tional,  and  that  all  proceedings  under  it  were  null  and  void. 
Bishop  Milton  Wright  and  eleven  delegates  withdrew  from 
the  general  conference  of  1889  because  of  the  announce- 
ment that  its  proceedings  would  conform  to  the  revised 
constitution.  They  immediately  convened  in  conference 
and  proceeded  to  legislate  and  elect  bishops  and  general 
church  officers  under  the  old  constitution.  The  division, 
begun  in  this  way,  was  soon  widely  extended,  involving 
many  of  the  conferences  and  placing  the  ownership  and 
occupancy  of  much  church  property  in  dispute.  The 
"  Liberals,"  as  the  majority  are  called,  continued  in  pos- 
session of  the  general  church  property  and  offices,  and  also 
of  most  of  the  churches  and  parsonages.  The  "  Radi- 
cals," those  who  adhere  to  the  old  confession  and  consti- 
tution, have  churches,  ministers,  and  members  in  many  of 
the  conferences,  the  titles  of  which  they  have  preserved. 
There  are  therefore  two  sets  of  conferences  bearing  the 
same  names  and  covering  the  same  territory.  Many  suits 
have  been  entered  in  the  courts  to  test  the  control  of  the 
property  involved.  A  final  decision  has  not  yet  been 
reached.  Those  who  adhere  to  the  unamended  constitu- 
tion insist  that  the  general  conference  of  1885  had  no  con- 
stitutional power  to  provide  for  the  revision  of  the  consti- 
tution and  confession;  that  the  general  conference  of  1889 
had  no  right  to  act  under  the  revised  constitution,  and  that 
the  existing  constitution  was  and  still  is  the  organic  law  of 
the  church,  They  maintain  an  exclusive  attitude  toward 
all  secret  societies,  according  to  the  provision  of  the  old 
constitution  forbidding  connection  with  any  of  them. 

When  the  statistics  for  the  eleventh  census  were  ob- 
tained, the  line  of  division  had  not  in  all  cases  become  dis- 
tinct, and  it  was  difficult  to  get  returns  from  some  of  the 


THE   UNITED  BRETHREN. 


363 


districts.  A  number  of  presiding  elders  reported  that 
much  of  the  church  property  in  their  respective  districts 
was  in  dispute,  being  claimed  by  both  parties.  In  tabu- 
lating from  the  schedules  returned  by  the  presiding  elders 
of  each  branch,  care  was  taken  not  to  count  the  same  edi- 
fices and  property  twice.  It  is  possible,  however,  that  in 
some  cases  duplication  has  not  been  prevented. 

The  total  number  of  members  is  22,807,  and  there  are 
795  organizations.  The  average  seating  capacity  of  the 
church  edifices  is  302,  and  their  average  value  $1116. 
There  are  209  halls,  with  accommodations  for  23,285. 

SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

California  

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

6 
33 
H3 

20 
II 

235 
20 

8 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

1,595 
7,895 
51,420 
6,900 
3,450 
25,325 
3,730 
66,460 

5,505 
800 
I,  600 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$8,600 
33*400 
169,550 
19,200 
IO,20O 
119,550 
IO,600 
237,940 
24,700 
2,300 
8,000 

Illinois  

Indiana  

160 

Iowa  

23 

Kansas  

7? 

Michigan 

gj 

l6A 

Nebraska 

2Q 

Ohio 

2CQ 

Oregon 

AQ 

South  Dakota 

:     I 

Washington  .  . 

20 

Wisconsin  .  . 

4 

Com- 
muni- 


118 


6,873 
272 

S58 
5,602 

358 

5,822 

1,203 

109 

606 


Total 795      578       174,680     $644,940      22,807 


SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES. 


CONFERENCES. 


Arkansas  Valley  ...  12          7  1,850  $6,400  232 

Auglaize 126  121  40,450  135,990  2,800 

California 9         5^  J,595  8,600  118 

Central  Illinois 19  16  3*905  17,700  369 

East  Des  Moines . . .  19  16  5,95o  15,700  142 

East  Nebraska 7  . .           2,800  205 


364    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  CONFERENCES. — Continued. 


CONFERENCES. 

Elkhorn  and  Dakota 
Indiana  

Organi-     Church 
zations.     Edifices. 

15          6 

IO             2 

Seating 
pacity. 

930 
800 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$3,400 
2  OOO 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

I56 
1  80 

Iowa       

44 

Kansas       

je          4^ 

1,  600 

3  800 

~ 

Michigan         .... 

58        TC 

9.QOO 

56  2OO 

2IQ2 

Minnesota  
North  Michigan  .  .  . 
North  Ohio. 

2             I 

82        34 
84       80  1A 

2OO 

400 
40,250 

23 
2,388 

37c6 

Oregon 

e.  ioC 

2I,6oO 

I  O2Q 

Rock  River 

20       17 

•3    QQO 

1  1.7OO 

Sandusky 

34        i6i^ 

•3.760 

T  C.2OO 

A 

Scioto 

81        87^ 

71,  TOO 

I  68q 

Walla  Walla  

40        10 

2,OOO 

I2,OOO 

780 

West  Kansas  

6 

C-3. 

West  Nebraska  .... 
White  River  

ii         5>£ 
99       91^ 

3,400 

6,300 
IIQ.4SO 

83 

Wisconsin  .  . 

4 

' 

67 

Total 795      578         174,680    $644,940    22,807 

The  totals  for  the  two  bodies  are  as  follows :  organiza- 
tions, 4526;  edifices,  3415;  seating  capacity,  991,138; 
value  of  church  property,  $4,937,583;  communicants, 
225,281. 


CHAPTER   XLI. 

THE     UNITARIANS. 

UNITARIANISM,  as  its  name  indicates,  is  distinguished 
from  other  systems  of  Christian  belief  chiefly  by  its  rejec- 
tion of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  and  the  deity  of  Jesus 
Christ.  It  denies  that  three  persons — the  Father,  the  Son, 
and  the  Holy  Spirit — are  united  in  one  God,  and  holds 
that  God  is  one,  that  he  is  uni-,  not  /^/-personal.  This 
view  is  not  modern.  Arius,  a  presbyter  of  Alexandria  in 
the  fourth  century,  held  that  Christ,  though  the  greatest  of 
created  beings,  was  not  equal  in  nature  and  dignity  to  God. 

Unitarian  organizations  were  formed  in  Poland  and  Hun- 
gary as  early  as  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century,  and  in 
the  United  States  and  England  in  the  first  quarter  of  the 
present  century.  King's  Chapel,  Boston,  a  Protestant  Epis- 
copal congregation,  adopted  in  1785  a  liturgy  so  revised 
as  to  exclude  all  recognition  of  the  Trinity,  and  ordained 
in  1787,  as  its  pastor,  on  the  refusal  of  the  bishop  of  the 
diocese  to  do  so,  James  Freeman,  who  was  Unitarian  in 
his  views.  Arian  ideas  began  to  influence  ministers  and 
laymen  in  the  Congregational  churches  in  New  England 
at  the  beginning  of  the  present  century.  In  1805  a  Uni- 
tarian, Dr.  Henry  Ware,  was  elected  to  the  divinity  chair 
in  Harvard  University,  and  in  1819  a  separate  divinity 
school  was  organized  in  connection  with  the  university 
with  a  Unitarian  faculty. 

365 


366    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 

Those  holding  Arian  views  became  generally  known  as 
Unitarians  in  1815,  which  is  usually  given  as  the  beginning 
of  the  Unitarian  denomination  in  America.  In  1819  a 
Unitarian  congregation  was  formed  in  Baltimore.  William 
Ellery  Channing  preached  the  installation  sermon,  in  which 
he  clearly  defined  the  differences  between  Orthodox  and 
Unitarian  doctrines.  Many  Congregational  churches  in 
eastern  Massachusetts,  including  the  oldest,  that  of  Plym- 
outh, the  church  founded  by  the  Pilgrims  in  1620,  became 
Unitarian  without  changing  their  covenants  or  names.  In 
the  course  of  the  controversy,  1 20  Congregational  churches 
in  New  England,  founded  before  the  War  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, went  over  to  the  Unitarians.  In  1830  there  were,  in 
all,  193  churches  of  the  Unitarian  faith;  in  1865,  340. 
The  present  number  is  42 1 . 

The  Unitarians  acknowledge  no  binding  creed.  They 
contend  for  the  fullest  liberty  in  belief,  and  exclude  no 
one  from  their  fellowship  for  difference  in  doctrinal  views. 
Unitarianism  is  declared  to  be  "  not  a  fixed  dogmatic 
statement,  but  a  movement  of  ever- enlarging  faith,"  wel- 
coming "  inquiry,  progress,  and  diversity  of  individual 
thought  in  the  unity  of  spiritual  thought."  In  the  de- 
nomination are  included  those  who  stand  upon  a  simple 
basis  of  Theism,  and  are  represented  in  the  Western  Uni- 
tarian Conference,  for  example,  and  those  who  accept  the 
Messiahship  of  Jesus  Christ.  In  general  terms  they  believe 
in  God  as  the  All-in- All,  "  in  eternal  life  as  the  great  hope, 
in  the  inspiration  of  all  truth,  in  man's  great  possibilities, 
and  in  the  divineness  of  sanctified  humanity." 

The  Unitarian  churches  are  Congregational  in  polity,  each 
congregation  being  independent  in  the  management  of  its 
own  affairs.  There  are  societies  for  the  conduct  of  mis- 


THE    UNITARIANS.  367 

sionary  work,  such  as  the  American  Unitarian  Association, 
organized  in  1825,  the  Western  Unitarian  Conference, 
which  attends  to  the  general  interests  of  the  societies  rep- 
resented in  it,  and  the  Western  Unitarian  Association,  whose 
object  is  to  "  diffuse  the  knowledge  and  promote  the  inter- 
ests of  pure  Christianity."  There  are  also  conferences,  na- 
tional and  state  and  local.  The  national  conference,  which 
is  biennial,  declares  in  its  constitution  its  "  allegiance  to  the 
gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  "  and  its  "  desire  to  secure  the  largest 
unity  of  spirit  and  the  widest  practical  cooperation  "  in  the 
cause  of  Christian  faith  and  work.  It  confines  itself  to 
recommending  to  existing  Unitarian  organizations  "  such 
undertaking  and  methods  as  it  judges  to  be  in  the  heart  of 
the  Unitarian  denomination."  It  is  composed  of  delegates 
from  the  churches  and  representatives  of  certain  Unitarian 
organizations.  The  conference  provides  for  a  committee 
of  fellowship,  for  the  consideration  of  applications  of  per- 
sons not  graduates  of  Unitarian  schools  to  enter  the  Uni- 
tarian ministry. 

The  421  organizations  report  424  edifices,  valued  at 
$10,335,100,  and  with  an  aggregate  seating  capacity  of 
165,090.  Of  the  67,749  communicants,  or,  more  properly, 
members,  as  the  Unitarian  custom  is  to  admit  any  one  to 
the  communion,  a  little  more  than  half  are  in  Massachusetts. 
New  York  has  the  second  largest  number,  4470;  California 
is  third,  with  3819 ;  and  New  Hampshire  fourth,  with  3252. 
The  denomination  has  organizations  in  thirty-two  States 
and  the  District  of  Columbia.  In  the  Southern  States  it 
has  scarcely  half  a  dozen  churches. 

The  average  value  of  its  church  edifices  is  very  high, 
reaching  $24,725  ;  their  average  seating  capacity,  389. 
There  are  55  halls,  with  accommodations  for  10,370. 


368    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

Com- 
muni- 
cants 

California  

16 

8 

5,100 

$366,040 

3,819 

Colorado  

4 

2 

1,300 

157,500 

644 

Connecticut  

2 

2 

975 

38,000 

179 

Delaware  

I 

I 

250 

14,000 

60 

District  of  Columbia 

I 

I 

850 

8o,OOO 

600 

Georgia  

I 

I 

300 

10,000 

75 

Illinois  

16 

15 

5,650 

406,000 

i,932 

Indiana  

3 

3 

I,IOO 

8,500 

320 

Iowa  

10 

9 

2,500 

83,100 

1,238 

Kansas  

5 

2 

525 

20,500 

278 

Kentucky  

i 

I 

650 

70,000 

100 

Louisiana  

i 

I 

400 

40,000 

no 

Maine  

22 

25 

7,800 

216,700 

2,421 

Maryland  

2 

3 

1,450 

107,000 

603 

Massachusetts  

I89 

217 

86,346 

5,278,370 

34,610 

Michigan  

12 

13 

4,850 

168,500 

1,904 

Minnesota  

12 

9 

2,750 

126,600 

1,349 

Missouri  

6 

8 

2,850 

230,800 

i,U5 

Nebraska  

3 

3 

800 

44,000 

190 

New  Hampshire  .  .  . 

26 

25 

9,386 

357,200 

3,252 

New  Jersey  

5 

2 

700 

23,500 

363 

New  York  

18 

22 

9*423 

1,117,500 

4,470 

North  Dakota  

I 

9° 

55 

Ohio  

5 

3 

i,3S° 

80,000 

907 

Oregon  

5 

4 

2,050 

139,500 

890 

Pennsylvania  

7 

8 

2,585 

276,200 

1,171 

Rhode  Island  

6 

6 

3,650 

393,500 

i,595 

South  Carolina  

i 

i 

400 

30,000 

150 

South  Dakota  

2 

i 

400 

10,000 

105 

Tennessee  

I 

2 

400 

16,000 

60 

Vermont  

9 

8 

2,480 

112,500 

968 

Washington  

12 

4 

i,57o 

75,000 

802 

Wisconsin  

16 

14 

4,250 

238,500 

1,394 

Total 421      424     165,090  $10,335, 100     67,749 


CHAPTER   XLII. 

THE     UNI  VERBALISTS. 

THE  first  regular  preacher  in  America  of  the  distinctive 
doctrines  of  Universalism  was  Rev.  John  Murray,  a  dis- 
ciple of  James  Relly,  who  had  gathered  a  congregation  of 
Universalists  in  London.  The  names  of  a  number  of  min- 
isters of  different  denominations  are  included  in  the  list 
of  those  who  held  or  published  Universalist  views  before 
Murray  arrived  from  England  in  1770.  Among  these  was 
Dr.  George  de  Benneville,  of  Pennsylvania.  Mr.  Murray 
preached  at  various  places,  settling  at  Gloucester,  Mass., 
in  1774,  and  at  Boston  in  1793.  By  him  and  a  few  others 
a  number  of  Universalist  churches  were  established.  At 
the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century  there  were  about  a 
score  of  Universalist  ministers. 

The  Rev.  Hosea  Ballou,  whose  name  is  honored  as  the 
father  of  Universalism  in  its  present  form,  became  promi- 
nent in  the  movement  at  the  beginning  of  the  present  cent- 
ury. His  views  differed  radically  from  those  of  Mr.  Murray. 
In  a  "  Treatise  on  Atonement,"  published  in  1 795,  he  denied 
the  doctrine  of  the  vicarious  sacrifice,  and  insisted  that 
punishment  for  the  sins  of  mortality  is  confined  to  this  life. 
If  there  were  any  punishment  in  the  future  life  it  would 
be,  he  contended,  for  sins  committed  in  that  life.  Some 
years  later  he  expressed  the  belief  that  there  is  no  sin 
beyond  the  grave  and  consequently  no  punishment.  Mr. 

369 


37O    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 

Murray  had  held  that  Christ  himself  bore  the  punishment 
due  the  sins  of  mankind,  and  therefore  there  would  be  no 
further  punishment  Of  the  early  Universalists,  Murray 
had  been  a  Methodist,  Winchester  and  Ballou  Baptists. 

There  being  quite  a  number  of  Universalists  who  held, 
contrary  to  the  views  of  Mr.  Ballou,  to  a  limited  future 
punishment,  a  division  occurred  in  1830,  and  an  association 
was  organized  in  the  interests  of  the  doctrine  of  restoration. 
This  association  existed  for  about  eleven  years  and  then 
became  extinct;  some  of  its  preachers  returning  to  the 
Universalist  denomination,  others  becoming  Unitarians. 
The  Restorationists  held  that  there  would  be  a  future 
retribution,  but  that  God  would,  in  his  own  time,  "  restore 
the  whole  family  of  mankind  to  holiness  and  happiness." 

The  symbol  of  the  Universalist  faith  is  the  Winchester 
"Profession  of  Belief,"  which  was  adopted  in  1803  by  the 
New  England  Convention,  held  in  Winchester,  N.  H.  It 
is  as  follows : 

"ARTICLE  I.  We  believe  that  the  Holy  Scriptures  of 
the  Old  and  New  Testaments  contain  a  revelation  of  the 
character  of  God,  and  of  the  duty,  interest,  and  final  desti- 
nation of  mankind. 

"ARTICLE  2.  We  believe  that  there  is  one  God,  whose 
nature  is  love,  revealed  in  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  one 
Holy  Spirit  of  Grace,  who  will  finally  restore  the  whole 
family  of  mankind  to  holiness  and  happiness. 

"ARTICLE  3.  We  believe  that  holiness  and  true  happi- 
ness are  inseparably  connected,  and  that  believers  ought 
to  be  careful  to  maintain  order  and  practice  good  works ; 
for  these  things  are  good  and  profitable  unto  men." 

This  profession  of  belief  has  remained  unaltered  since 
it  was  formulated.  It  is  regarded  as  a  sufficient  general 


THE    UNIVERSALISTS.  371 

declaration  of  the  fundamental  doctrine  of  Universalists  for 
the  purpose  of  fellowship.  A  more  particular  knowledge 
of  their  general  belief  may  be  gathered  from  the  utterances 
of  leading  Universalist  writers. 

Universalists  believe  that  God  is  not  only  almighty,  all- 
wise,  and  omniscient,  but  that  he  is  perfectly  holy.  As  a 
holy  God  he  is  hostile  to  sin.  He  forbade  it  at  the  first, 
has  never  consented  to  it,  and  can  never  be  reconciled 
to  it.  His  power,  wisdom,  goodness,  and  holiness  are  all 
pledges  that  there  "  shall  be  an  end  of  it  in  the  moral  uni- 
verse," and  that  "  universal  righteousness  "  shall  be  estab- 
lished. Sin  is  to  be  ended  through  the  conversion  and 
salvation  of  all  sinners,  who  are  to  come  ultimately  into 
holiness  and  perfection.  This  is  to  be  done  by  Jesus  Christ, 
whose  function  it  is  to  bring  man  into  harmony  with  God. 
In  Christ  God  has  set  forth  in  a  single  human  life  his  great 
scheme  of  reconciliation.  There  was  perfect  harmony  be- 
tween this  life  and  God ;  and  Christ,  the  derived  from  the 
underived,  most  intimately  shared  the  nature  of  God  and 
represents  him  to  man  in  complete  fullness.  There  is 
no  shadow  of  variance  between  Christ  and  God.  Christ's 
work  in  the  world  is  to  bring  men  to  light  and  strengthen 
the  will  in  resolution  against  sin.  He  helps  to  overcome 
and  destroy  sin  in  the  individual  soul.  Salvation  is  not 
from  the  demands  of  justice,  nor  from  punishment,  endless 
or  otherwise.  The  demands  of  justice  must  be  met,  the 
consequences  of  sin  cannot  be  avoided.  It  is  the  bondage 
of  present  sin  from  which  salvation  is  necessary.  Salvation 
is  not  exemption  from  the  consequences  of  sin,  but  redemp- 
tion from  the  disposition  to  sin;  also  from  imperfection. 
Beginning  with  repentance  and  receiving  God's  forgiveness 
for  past  sins,  the  soul  must  put  off  the  old  man  with  all 


372     RELIGIOUS  FORCES   OF   THE    UNITED   STATES. 

his  sins  and  put  on  the  new  man  created  in  God's  likeness. 
Punishment  is  a  necessary  penalty  for  violated  law.  Divine 
punishment  is  "  not  the  manifestation  of  hatred  but  the 
sign  and  instrument  of  love."  The  punishment  of  sin  is  its 
inevitable  consequences — "  the  wounds,  the  damage,  the 
shame  which  sin  impresses  "  upon  the  individual  conscious- 
ness. It  is  wholly  within  the  soul.  The  purpose  of  pun- 
ishment is  to  deter  from  sin  and  to  recover  from  sin.  It 
is  therefore  beneficent,  whence  it  follows  that  it  cannot 
be  endless,  for  endless  punishment  would  be  vindictive  and 
not  beneficent.  The  soul  is  immortal.  It  survives  death 
and  enters  upon  the  disembodied  state  in  the  same  con- 
dition in  which  it  quits  the  embodied.  If  it  has  been 
"dwarfed"  in  the  present  life  "by  neglect,"  or  "weak- 
ened "  by  abuse,  or  "  corrupted "  by  sin,  then  dwarfed, 
weakened,  corrupt,  it  must  enter  the  next  life.  Discipli- 
nary processes  will  be  continued  in  that  life,  and  the  soul 
that  goes  into  it  unrepentant  must  suffer  the  "  thraldom  or 
retribution"  until  the  "will  consents  to  the  divine  order." 
Even  the  penitent  will  be  subject  to  "  such  discipline  and 
chastening  experiences  as  contribute  to  moral  progress." 

These  are  not  to  be  taken  as  authoritative  expressions 
of  denominational  belief.  The  Winchester  Profession  is 
the  only  acknowledged  symbol.  They  simply  represent 
the  current  teaching  of  the  Universalist  ministry.  Prob- 
ably some  Universalists  would  differ  from  them  in  some 
respects. 

The  Universalist  system  of  government  is  a  modified 
Presbyterianism.  The  parish  manages  its  own  financial 
and  general  interests,  and  calls  or  dismisses  a  pastor ;  but 
it  "  acknowledges  allegiance  both  to  the  State  and  general 
conventions,  and  is  bound  to  observe  the  laws  they  enact." 


THE   UNIVERSALISTS.  373 

No  State  conventions  can  be  formed  "  without  a  constitu- 
ency of  at  least  four  parishes."  Such  conventions  exercise 
authority  in  their  own  territory  under  rules  and  limitations 
prescribed  by  the  general  convention.  They  are  composed 
of  all  Universalist  ministers  in  fellowship,  and  of  lay  dele- 
gates from  the  parishes.  They  meet  every  year. 

The  general  convention,  which  is  held  in  October  bien- 
nially, consists  of  clerical  and  lay  delegates  from  each  State 
convention,  in  the  proportion  of  one  of  the  former  to  two 
of  the  latter.  Every  convention  is  entitled  to  send  at  least 
one  clerical  and  two  lay  delegates.  If  it  has  fifty  parishes 
and  clergymen  it  can  send  twice  as  many  delegates,  with 
an  additional  three  for  every  additional  twenty- five  parishes 
and  clergymen.  The  general  convention  "  exercises  eccle- 
siastical authority  throughout  the  United  States  and  Can- 
ada. It  is  the  court  of  final  appeal  in  cases  of  dispute 
between  State  conventions,  and  in  all  cases  of  discipline 
not  provided  for  and  settled  by  subordinate  bodies,"  and 
has  original  jurisdiction  in  States  and  Territories  where 
subordinate  conventions  have  not  been  organized.  The 
general  convention  is  an  incorporated  body  and  controls 
various  denominational  funds.  Ministers  are  ordained  by 
councils,  consisting  of  ten  ordained  ministers  and  lay  dele- 
gates from  ten  parishes,  called  by  the  parish  desiring  the 
ordination,  with  the  consent  of  the  convention  (State)  com- 
mittee on  fellowship,  ordination,  and  discipline.  There  are 
also  licentiates,  both  of  the  clerical  and  lay  order. 

Among  the  usages  of  the  church  is  the  observance  of 
the  second  Sunday  in  June  as  "  Children's  Sunday."  The 
churches  are  decorated  with  flowers  and  children  are  bap- 
tized. Christmas  and  Easter  are  generally  observed,  and 
a  Sunday  in  October  is  set  apart  for  services  in  memory  of 


374    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

members  who  have  died  during  the  year.  The  sacraments 
observed  are  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper.  The  mode 
of  baptism  is  left  to  the  choice  of  the  applicant. 

There  are  forty  State  conventions,  besides  those  of 
Canada  and  Scotland,  the  oldest  of  which,  that  of  New 
York,  was  organized  in  1825.  New  York  leads  in  the 
number  of  members,  reporting  8526;  Massachusetts  comes 
second,  with  7142;  Ohio  third,  with  4961;  and  Maine 
fourth,  with  3750.  The  total  of  members  is  49,194,  and 
the  aggregate  value  of  church  property  $8,054,333.  The 
average  value  of  the  church  edifices  is  $9750,  and  the 
average  seating  capacity  294. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Alabama 

Organi- 
zations. 

IO 
I 

Church 
Edifices.        pacity 

6            625 

Arkansas     

California    . 

9 
i 
18 
i 
3 
15 
i 

54 
5o 

22 
14 

i 

i 

121 

27 
13 

16 
5 
33 

5 

18 
i 
i 

12 
I 

37 
23 
8 

12 

83 

I 
II9>^ 
26 
10 
2 

4 
5 
34 

1,950 

6,325 
500 
150 

2,250 

200 
13,400 
8,850 
6,550 
1,875 

3,200 

26,405 
700 
40,550 
6,600 

3,500 

200 

1,600 

775 
9,600 

Colorado 

Connecticut 

District  of  Columbia 
Florida    

Georgia  

Idaho   

Illinois       

Indiana           .  . 

Iowa       .         .... 

Kansas 

Kentucky 

Maine 

Maryland      .    .  . 

Massachusetts 

Michigan  
Minnesota  

Mississippi 

Missouri    

Nebraska  

New  Hampshire  .  .  . 

Value  of 

Com- 

Church 

Property. 

cants. 

$3,  SGO 

365 

16 

96,000 

1,382 

500 

15 

367,000 

2,129 

47,000 

128 

2,000 

45 

3*140 

533 

3,000 

25 

523,850 

3,424 

138,900 

1,950 

118,300 

829 

20,200 

57i 

16,525 

434 

542,900 

3,750 

30,000 

382 

,110,193 

7,142 

221,800 

i,549 

192,900 

1,093 

800 

120 

4,800 

711 

38,800 

161 

203,025 

1,204 

THE    UNIVERSALISTS. 


375 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. — Continued. 


STATES.                     0 

New  Jersey  

Tgani- 

itions. 

6 

Church 

Edifices. 

6 

Seating 
Ca- 
pacity. 

I.72O 

Value  of 
Church 
Property. 

$1  I2.3OO 

Com- 
muni- 
cants. 

New  York  

168 

14.7 

8  ?26 

North  Carolina  
Ohio 

3 

3 

500 

1,200 

7/M    8OO 

255 
4QOI 

Oreeron 

? 

CCQ 

Q  ^OO 

Pennsylvania  
Rhode  Island 

42 

IO 

36 

IO 

«* 

9,850 

417,500 

2,209 

South  Carolina 

2 

i 

IOO 

I,2OO 

IOI 

Tennessee 

I 

i 

IOO 

7CQ 

2O 

Texas       

18 

2 

C  JA 

Vermont  

6c 

C7 

18,010 

28H  ,OOO 

3  lft 
2  4.OQ 

Virginia          .... 

i 

I 

•JOQ 

c.ooo 

18 

\Vest  Virginia    .... 

2 

I 

IOO 

I,2OO 

c6 

"Wisconsin  

5 

I  r 

5 

8C..2OO 

C/l/l 

Total 956      832      244,615     $8,054,333      49,194 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 


INDEPENDENT  CONGREGATIONS. 


THESE  are  congregations  having  no  connection  with  any 
of  the  denominations.  Some  are  akin  to  Presbyterian, 
others  to  Methodist  and  other  bodies.  Some  are  organ- 
ized on  a  union  basis  and  receive  part  of  their  support 
from  members  of  several  denominations.  There  are  54 
halls,  with  accommodations  for  10,445. 


SUMMARY  BY  STATES. 


STATES. 

Organi- 
zations. 

Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Ca- 

Alabama  

I 

.... 

Alaska  

I 

California  

II 

2 

55° 

Connecticut  

4 

3 

425 

District  of  Columbia 

5 

3 

1,100 

Georgia  

i 

I 

150 

Illinois  

8 

7 

3,970 

Indiana  

16 

ii 

3,200 

Iowa  

i 

i 

2OO 

Kansas  

9 

5 

1,090 

Maine  

3 

3 

850 

Maryland  

2 

2 

2,200 

Massachusetts  

18 

12 

3,105 

Michigan  

2 

2 

375 

Minnesota  

I 

I 

100 

Missouri  

3 

I 

200 

New  Hampshire  .  .  . 

3 

I 

2OO 

New  Jersey  

8 

6 

2,150 

New  York  

26 

23 

10,255 

Ohio  

5 

6 

2,025 

Pennsylvania  

17 

15 

4,650 

Rhode  Island  

6 

4 

1,750 

South  Carolina  .... 

i 

i 

2OO 

Vermont  

4 

2 

600 

Value  of 

Church 

Property. 


$70,575 

3,600 

17,100 

I4O,OOO 
8,450 
I,OOO 

7,550 

17,500 

40,000 

121,350 

6,000 

700 

1,500 

1,500 

52,300 

722,400 

22,800 

140,900 

89,200 

8,000 
13,575 


Com- 
muni* 
cants. 

150 
766 
717 

353 
386 

1,640 
918 

75 
271 
170 
500 
684 
170 

$ 

150 
552 
4,232 
298 
948 
768 

"166 


Total 


156 


112 
376 


39,345    $1,486,000     14,126 


GENERAL   STATISTICAL   SUMMARIES. 

1.  Summary  by  States  of  all  denominations. 

2.  Summary  by  denominations. 

3.  Summary  by  denominational  families. 

4.  Summary  of  denominations  according  to  number  of 
communicants. 

5.  Summary   of   denominational   families   according   to 
number  of  communicants. 

6.  Summary   of  denominations   classified  according  to 
polity. 

7.  Summary  of  colored  organizations. 

8.  Summary  of  churches  in  cities. 


377 


378     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  I.— (a)  SUMMARY  BY  STATES 

STATES.                                             Organizations.  Edifices. 

Alabama 6,383  6,013 

Alaska 26  34 

Arizona 131  70 

Arkansas 4,874  3,791 

California 1,996  1,505 

Colorado 647  463 

Connecticut 1,149  I»I75 

Delaware 382  401 

District  of  Columbia 217  205 

Florida i>97i  J>793 

Georgia 6,899  7,008 

Idaho 247  143 

Illinois 8,296  7,352 

Indiana 6,480  5,944 

Indian  Territory 806  429 

Iowa 5,539  4,539 

Kansas 4,927  2,859 

Kentucky 5,555  4,768 

Louisiana 2,701         •     2,520 

Maine 1,610  1,346 

Maryland 2,328  2,369 

Massachusetts 2,547  2,458 

Michigan 4,79$  3,761 

Minnesota 3,429  2,619 

Mississippi 5, 194  5,009 

Missouri 8,064  6,121 

Montana 273  164 

Nebraska 2,797  1,822 

Nevada 64  41 

New  Hampshire 783  774 

New  Jersey 2,085  2,204 

New  Mexico 463  381 

New  York 8,237  7,942 

North  Carolina 6,824  6,512 

North  Dakota 868  335 

Ohio 9,384  8,896 

Oklahoma 123  41 

Oregon 969  592 

Pennsylvania 10, 175  9,624 

Rhode  Island 402  •      386 

South  Carolina 3,815  3,967 

South  Dakota 1,589  774 

Tennessee 6,351  5,794 

(ft)  For  summary  by  States  for  1906  see  p.          (b)  This  column  shows  the  percentage 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


379 


OF  ALL  DENOMINATIONS. 


Seating 

Value  of  Church 

Capacity. 

Property. 

1,702,527 

$6,768,477 

4,800 

203,650 

19,230 

270,8l6 

1,041,040 

3,266,663 

422,609 

11,961,914 

120,862 

4,743,317 

443,979 

16,985,036 

111,172 

2,708,825 

114,420 

6,313,625 

39J,I32 

2,424,423 

2,108,566 

8,228,060 

29,527 

28l,3IO 

2,260,619 

39,715,245 

1,890,300 

18,671,131 

79,583 

182,266 

1,203,185 

16,056,786 

708,134 

7,452,269 

1,504,736 

12,112,320 

617,245 

5,032,194 

408,767 

6,198,400 

718,459 

15,445,946 

1,102,772 

46,835,014 

1,097,069 

18,682,971 

691,631 

12,940,152 

1,332,442 

4,392,473 

1,859,589 

19,663,737 

33,942 

885,950 

409,462 

6,443,689 

9,890 

208,225 

250,035 

4,457,225 

803,017 

29,490,414 

107,925 

531,925 

2,868,490 

140,123,008 

2,192,835 

7,077,440 

69,590 

780,775 

2,827,113 

42,159,762 

8,605 

6l,575 

142,843 

2,829,150 

3,592,oi9 

85,917,370 

166,384 

7,583,1  10 

1,199,908 

5,636,236 

149,728 

I,76l,277 

1,812,942 

9,890,443 

Communi- 

Per cent,  of 

cants. 

Population  (6). 

559,171 

36.96 

14,852 

26,972 

45.24 

296.208 

26.26 

280,619 

23    23 

86,837 

21.07 

309,341 

4i  45 

48,679 

28.89 

94,203 

40.89 

141,734 

36.21 

679,051 

36.96 

24,036 

28.48 

1,202,588 

3i  43 

693,860 

31-65 

29,275 

556,817 

29.  12 

336,729 

23.58 

606,397 

32.63 

399,991 

35-76 

160,271 

24.24 

379,418 

36.40 

942,751 

42.11 

569,504 

27.2O 

532,590 

40.91 

430,746 

33  40 

735,839 

27.47 

32,478 

24  57 

194,466 

18.36 

5,877 

12.84 

102,941 

27  34 

508,351 
105,749 

35   18 
68  85 

2,171,822 

36.21 

685,194 

42  35 

59,496 

32.56 

1,216,469 

33  13 

4,901 

7-58 

70,524 

22.48 

1,726,640 

32.84 

148,008 

42.84 

508,485 

44-17 

85,490 

26  oo 

552,658 

31  .26 

of  population  represented  by  the  number  of  communicants  in  each  State. 


380    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  I. — SUMMARY  BY  STATES 


Organizations. 


Edifices. 


Texas 8,766  5,638 

Utah 427  280 

Vermont 904  802 

Virginia 4,998  4*894 

Washington 892  532 

West  Virginia 3>O45  2,216 

Wisconsin 3,726  3*290 

Wyoming 141  43 

Total 165,297  142,639 

TABLE  II. — SUMMARY 

DENOMINATIONS.  Ministers.  Organizations. 

ADVENTISTS  : 

1.  Evangelical 34  30 

2.  Advent  Christians 883  580 

3.  Seventh-Day 284  995 

4.  Church  of  God 19  29 

5.  Life  and  Advent  Union  50  28 

6.  Churches  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ  .  94  95 

Total  Adventists 1,364  1,757 

BAPTISTS  : 

1.  Regular  (North) 6,685  7>9<>7 

2.  Regular  (South) 8,957  16,238 

3.  Regular  (Colored) 5,468  12,533 

4.  Six-Principle 14  18 

5.  Seventh-Day 115  106 

6.  Freewill 1,493  1,586 

7.  Original  Freewill 1 18  167 

8.  General 332  399 

9.  Separate 19  24 

10.  United 25  204 

11.  Baptist  Church  of  Christ 80  152 

12.  Primitive 2,040  3,222 

13.  Old  Two-Seed-in-the-SpiritPredes- 

tinarian 300  473 

Total  Baptists * 25,646  43,029 

(a)  This  column  shows  the  percentage  of  population 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


381 


OF  ALL  DENOMINATIONS. — Continued. 


Seating 
Capacity. 

Value  of  Church 
Property. 

Communi- 
cants. 

Per  cent,  of 
Population  (a). 

1,567,745 

$8,682,337 

677,151 

30.30 

89,695 

1,493,791 

128,115 

6l.62 

237,000 

4,643,800 

106,315 

31.98 

1,400,675 

10,473,943 

569,235 

34-37 

126,109 

2,408,625 

58,798 

16.83 

601,238 
846,408 
8,385 

3,723,383 
14,525,841 
368,625 

192,477 

556,483 
11,705 

25.23 
32.98 
19.28 

43,596,378 

$679,694,439 

20,6l8,307 

32-92 

BY  DENOMINATIONS. 

Church 

Searing 

Value  of  Church 

Communi- 

Edifices. 

Capacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

23 

5,855 

$6l,400 

1,147 

294 

80,286 

465,605 

25,8l6 

4l8 

94,627 

645,075 

28,991 

I 

2OO 

1,400 

647 

8 

2,250 

16,790 

1,018 

30 

7,530 

46,075 

2,872 

774 

100,748 

$1,236,345 

60,491 

7,070 

2,180,773 

$49,530,504 

800,450 

13,502 

4,349,407 

18,196,637 

1,280,066 

11,987 

3,440,970 

9,038,549 

1,348,989 

14 

3,600 

19,500 

937 

78 
1,225 

21,467 
349,309 

265,260 
3,115,642 

87,^898 

125 

41,400 

57,005 

11,864 

209 

71,850 

20I,I4O 

21,362 

19 

5,650 

9,200 

i,599 

179 

6o,22O 

80,150 

13,209 

135 

40,885 

56,755 

8,254 

2,849 

899,273 

1,649,851 

121,347 

397 

134,730 

172,230 

12,851 

37,789 

n,599,534 

$82,392,423 

3,717,969 

represented  by  the  number  of  communicants  in  each  State. 


382     RELIGIOUS  FORCES   OF  THE    UNITED   STATES. 


TABLE  II.— SUMMARY  BY 


DENOMINATIONS. 


Ministers. 


Organi- 
zations. 


BRETHREN  (RIVER): 

1.  Brethren  in  Christ 128  78 

2.  Old  Order  or  Yorker 7  8 

3.  United  Zion's  Children 20  25 

Total  River  Brethren 155  1 1 1 

BRETHREN  (PLYMOUTH)  : 

Brethren  (I.)   109 

Brethren  (II.) 88 

Brethren  (III. ) 86 

Brethren  (IV.) 31 

Total  Plymouth  Brethren 314 

CATHOLICS  : 

1.  Roman  Catholic 9>I57  10*231 

2.  Greek  Catholic  (Uniates) 9  14 

3.  Russian  Orthodox 13  12 

4.  Greek  Orthodox i  i 

5.  Armenian 7  6 

6.  Old  Catholic i  4 

7.  Reformed  Catholic 8  8 

Total 9, 196  10,276 

Catholic  Apostolic  .  .\ 95  10 

Chinese  Temples 47 

Christadelphians ....  63 

CHRISTIANS  : 

1.  Christians  (Christian  Connection) i>35°  1,281 

2.  Christian  Church  South 85  143 

Total  Christians 1,435  l >424 

Christian  Missionary  Association 10  13 

Christian  Scientists 26  22 1 

Christian  Union 183  294 

Church  of  God  (Winebrennerian) 522  479 

Church  Triumphant  (Schweinfurth) ...  12 

Church  of  the  New  Jerusalem , 119  154 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


383 


DENOMINATIONS. — Continued. 


Church 
Edifices. 

45 

Seating 
Capacity. 

19,005 

Value  of  Church 
Property. 

$73,050 

Communi- 
cants. 

2,688 

214 

25 

3,100 

8,300 

525 

70 

22,105 

$81,350 

3,427 

2,280 

$1,265 

2,419 

2OO 

718 

— 



$1,465 

6,  66  1 

8,776 
13 
23 
I 

5,^228 
'  75 

$118,069,746 
63,300 
220,000 

5,000 

6,231,417 
10,850 
13,504 

100 

3 

700 

13,320 

1,000 

8,816 

3 
47 
4 

963 
135 

3,374,907 

750 
950 

301,692 
46,005 

$118,371,366 

$66,050 
62,000 

2,700 

$1,637,202 
138,000 

6,257,871 

1,394 
1,277 

90,718 
13,004 

1,098 

ii 

184 

338 

88 

347,697 

1^00 

68,000 
20,810 

$1,775,202 

$3,900 

40,666 

234,450 
643,185 
15,000 
1,386,455 

103,722 

754 
8,724 
18,214 
22,511 
384 
7,095 

384    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  II.— SUMMARY  BY 


DENOMINATIONS. 


Ministers. 


Organi- 
zations. 


COMMUNISTIC  SOCIETIES  (a) : 

1.  Shakers ..  15 

2.  Amana . .  7 

3.  Harmony 

4.  Separatists 

5.  New  Icaria 

6.  Altruists 

7.  Adonai  Shomo 

8.  Church  Triumphant  (Koreshan  Ecclesia) . .  . .  5 

Total  Communistic  Societies ..  32 

Congregationalists 5,058  4,868 

Disciples  of  Christ 3,773  7,246 

DUNKARDS  : 

1.  Dunkards  or  German  Baptists  (Conserv.). .  1,622  720 

2.  Dunkards  or  German  Baptists  (Old  Order) .  237  135 

3.  Dunkards  or  German  Baptists  (Progressive) .  224  128 

4.  Seventh-Day  Baptists  (German) 5  6 

Total  Dunkards 2,088  989 

Evangelical  Association 1,235  2,310 

FRIENDS  : 

1.  Friends  (Orthodox) i, 1 13  794 

2.  Friends  (Hicksite) 115  201 

3.  Friends  (Wilburite) 38  52 

4.  Friends  (Primitive) II  9 

Total  Friends 1,277  1,056 

Friends  of  the  Temple 4  4 

German  Evangelical  Protestant 44  52 

German  Evangelical  Synod 680  870 

JEWS: 

1.  Jewish  Congregations  (Orthodox) 125  316 

2.  Jewish  Congregations  (Reformed) ....  75  217 

Total  Jews 200  533 

(a)  The  Bruederhoef  Mennonites  also  observe  a  communal  life.     They 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


385 


DENOMINATIONS. — Continued. 


Church 

Seating 

Value  of  Church 

Communi- 

Edifices. 

Capacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

16 

5,650 

$36,800 

1,728 

22 

2,800 

15,000 

1,  6OO 

I 

500 

IO,OOO 

250 

I 

500 

3,000 

200 

21 

2C 

6,000 

j 
20 

-• 

.... 

36,000 

205 

40 

9,45° 

$106,800 

4,049 

4,736 

i,553,o8o 

$43,335,437 

512,771 

5,324 

1,609,452 

12,206,038 

641,051 

854 

353,586 

$1,121,541 

61,101 

63 

25,750 

80,770 

4,411 

96 

32,740 

145,770 

8,089 

3 

1,960 

14,550 

194 

1,016 

414,036 

$1,362,631 

73,795 

1,899 

479,335 

$4,785,680 

133,313 

725 

2i5,43i 

$2,795,784 

80,655 

213 

72,568 

1,661,850 

21,992 

52 

13,169 

67,000 

4,329 

5 

1,050 

16,700 

232 

995 

302,218 

$4,541,334 

107,208 

5 

1,150 

$15,300 

340 

£ 

35,175 
245,781 

1,187,450 
4,614,490 

36,156 
187,432 

122 

46,837 

$2,802,050 

57,597 

179 

92,397 

6,952,225 

72,899 

301  139,234  $9,754,275 

are  reported  in  connection  with  the  other  Mennonite  branches. 


130,496 


386    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  Of    THE   UNITED  STATES. 

TABLE  II.— SUMMARY  BY 

DENOMINATIONS.  Ministers.        StSns" 

LATTER-DAY  SAINTS  : 

1.  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-Day  Saints          543          425 

2.  Reorganized  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Lat- 

ter-Day  Saints 1,500          431 


Total  Latter-Day  Saints 2,043  856 

LUTHERANS  : 

General  Bodies. 

1.  General  Synod 966  1,424 

2.  United  Synod  in  the  South 201  414 

3.  General  Council i,  153  2,044 

4.  Synodical  Conference 1,282  1,934 

Independent  Synods. 

5.  Joint  Synod  of  Ohio,  etc 297  421 

6.  Buffalo 20  27 

7.  Hauge's 58  175 

8.  Norwegian  in  North  America 194  489 

9.  Michigan 37  65 

10.  Danish  in  America 108  131 

1 1.  German  Augsburg 49  23 

12.  Danish  Church  Association 40  50 

13.  Icelandic  Synod I  13 

14.  Immanuel 21  21 

15.  Suomai  Synod 8  1 1 

16.  United  Norwegian  of  America 109  i,  122 

Independent  Congregations 47  23 1 

Total  Lutherans 4,591  8,595 

MENNONITES  : 

1.  Mennonite 336  246 

2.  Bruederhoef  (a) 9  5 

3.  Amish 228  97 

4.  Old  Amish 71  22 

5.  Apostolic 2  2 

6.  Reformed 43  34 

7.  General  Conference 95  45 

8.  Church  of  God  in  Christ 18  18 

9.  Old  (Wisler) 17  15 

(a)  The  Bruederhoef  Mennonites  observe  a  communal 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


387 


DENOMINATIONS. — Continued. 


Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Capacity. 

Value  of  Church 
Property. 

Communi- 
cants. 

266 

92,102 

$825,506 

144,352 

122 

30,790 

226,285 

21,773 

122,892 

$1,051,791 

166,125 

1,322 

471,819 

$8,919,170 

164,640 

379 

138,453 

1,114,065 

37,457 

588,825 

11,119,286 

324,846 

i,53i 

443,185 

7,804,313 

357,153 

443 

149,338 

$1,639,087 

69,505 

25 

5,793 

84,410 

4,242 

100 

30,500 

214,395 

14,730 

275 

78,988 

806,825 

55,452 

53 

14,613 

164,770 

11,482 

75 

14,760 

129,700 

10,181 

23 

7,56o 

111,060 

7,oio 

33 

5,700 

44,775 

3,493 

4 

1,300 

7,200 

1,991 

19 

5,3oo 

94,200 

5,580 

8 

12,898 

1,385 

669 

185^242 

1,544,455 

119,972 

1  88 

62,344 

1,249,745 

41,953 

6,701 


2,205,635 


$35,060,354 


1,231,072 


98 

i 
i 
29 
43 
3 

12 

70,005 
600 
15,430 
200 

7,465 
13,880 
400 

4,120 

$317,045 
4,500 
76,450 
1,500 
1,200 
52,650 

1,  6OO 
8,015 

17,078 

352 
10,101 

2,038 
209 
.  1,655 
5,670 
471 

610 

life  and  constitute  properly  a  communistic  society. 


388     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  II.— SUMMARY  BY 


DENOMINATIONS. 


Ministers. 


Organi- 
zations. 


MENNONITES— Continued  : 

10.  Bundes  Conference , 37  12 

1 1.  Defenseless 18  9 

12.  Brethren  in  Christ 31  45 

Total  Mennonites 905  550 

METHODISTS  : 

1.  Methodist  Episcopal 15*423  25,861 

2.  Union  American  Methodist  Episcopal 32  42 

3.  African  Methodist  Episcopal 3*32 1  2,481 

4.  African  Union  Methodist  Protestant 40  40 

5.  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion 1*565  1*704 

6.  Methodist  Protestant 1*441  2,529 

7.  Wesleyan  Methodist 600  565 

8.  Methodist  Episcopal,  South 4,801  15,017 

9.  Congregational  Methodist 150  214 

10.  Congregational  Methodist  (Colored) 5  9 

11.  New  Congregational  Methodist 20  24 

12.  Zion  Union  Apostolic 30  32 

13.  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal 1,800  1,759 

14.  Primitive  Methodist 60  84 

15.  Free  Methodist 657  1,102 

16.  Independent  Methodist 8  15 

17.  Evangelist  Missionary 47  1 1 

Total  Methodists 30,000  51,489 

Moravians 1 14  94 

PRESBYTERIANS  : 

1.  Presbyterian  in  the  United  States  of  Amer- 

ica (Northern) 5,934  6,717 

2.  Cumberland  Presbyterian 1,861  2,791 

3.  Cumberland  Presbyterian  (Colored) 393  224 

4.  Welsh  Calvinistic 100  187 

5.  United  Presbyterian 731  866 

6.  Presbyterian  in  the  United  States  (Southern)  1*129  2,391 

7.  Associate  Church  of  North  America 12  31 

8.  Associate  Reformed  Synod  of  the  South  ...  133  1 16 

9.  Reformed  Presbyterian  in  the  United  States 

(Synod) 124  115 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


389 


DENOMINATIONS. — Continued. 


Church 
Edifices. 


II 

8 
34 

406 


Seating 
Capacity. 


3,720 

2,070 

10,625 

129,340 


Value  of  Church 
Property. 

$11,350 
10,540 
39,600 

$643,800 


Communi- 
cants. 


41,541 


22,844 

6,302,708 

$96,723,408 

2,240,354 

35 

11,500 

187,600 

2,279 

4,124 

1,160,838 

6,468,280 

452,725 

27 

7,161 

54,440 

3,415 

i,587 

565,577 

2,714,128 

349,788 

1,924 

571,266 

3,683,337 

141,989 

342 

86,254 

393,250 

16,492 

12,688 

3,359,466 

18,775,362 

1,209,976 

150 

46,400 

41,680 

8,765 

5 

585 

525 

319 

17 

5,150 

3,750 

1,059 

27 

10,100 

15,000 

2,346 

1,653 

541,464 

1,713,366 

129,383 

78 

20,930 

291,993 

4,764 

620 

165,004 

805,085 

22,  IIO 

H 

7,725 

266,975 

2,569 

3 

1,050 

2,000 

951 

46,138 


12,863,178 


$132,140,179 


4,589,284 


114 


31,615 


$681,250 


11,781 


6,664 

2,024 

i83 

189 

832 

2,288 


2,225,044 

669,507 

52,139 

44,445 

264,298 

690,843 

4,849 
37,050 


$74,455,200 


195,826 
625,875 
1,408,084 
{,812,152 
29,200 
211,850 


788,224 

164,940 

12,956 

12,722 

94,402 

179,721 

1,053 
8,501 


37,095 


1,071,400 


10,574 


390    RELIGIOUS  FORCES   OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 

TABLE  II.— SUMMARY  BY 


DENOMINATIONS.  Ministers. 

PRESBYTERIANS— Continued  : 
10.  Reformed  Presbyterian  in  North  America 

(General  Synod) 29  33 

n.  Reformed  Presbyterian  (Covenanted) i  4 

12.  Reformed  Presbyterian  in  the  United  States 

and  Canada i  i 


Total  Presbyterians 10,448  13,476 

PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL: 

1.  Protestant  Episcopal 4, 146  5,019 

2.  Reformed  Episcopal 78  83 


Total  Episcopal 4,224  5, 102 

REFORMED  : 

1.  Reformed  in  America 558  572 

2.  Reformed  in  United  States 880  1,5 10 

3.  Christian  Reformed 68  99 

Total  Reformed 1,506  2, 181 


Salvation  Army ...  329 

Schwenkfelders    3  4 

Social  Brethren 17  20 

Society  for  Ethical  Culture ...  4 

Spiritualists ...  334 

Theosophical  Society ...    .         40 

UNITED  BRETHREN: 

1.  United  Brethren  in  Christ 2,267  3,731 

2.  United  Brethren  (Old  Constitution) 531  795 


Total  United  Brethren 2,798  4,526 

Unitarians 515  421 

Universalists 708  956 

Independent  Congregations 54  156 

Grand  Total ..., ,.,,,  111,036  165,297 


GENERAL   STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


391 


DENOMINATIONS.— Continued. 


Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Capacity. 

Value  of  Church 
Property. 

Communi- 
cants. 

33 
i 

12,380 
2OO 

$469,000 

4,602 
77 

i 

800 

75,000 

600 

12,469 

4,038,650 

$94,869,097 

1,278,332 

5,019 
84 

1,336,952 
23,925 

$81,220,317 
1,615,101 

532,054 

8,455 

5,103 

1,360,877 

$82,835,418 

540,509 

670 

i,304 
106 

257,922 
534,254 

33,755 

$10,340,159 

7,975,583 
428,500 

92,970 
204,018 
12,470 

2,080 

825,931 

$18,744,242 

309,458 

2l 

ii 

12,055 
1,925 
8,700 

$38,150 

12,200 

8,700 

8,742 
306 

9J3 
1,064 

30 

i 

20,450 

200 

573,650 
600 

45,030 
695 

2,837 
578 

816,458 
174,680 

$4,292,643 
644,940 

202,474 
22,807 

3,415 

991,138 

$4,937,583 

225,281 

424 
832 

112 

165,090 
244,615 

39,345 

$10,335,100 

8,054,333 
1,486,000 

67,749 
49,194 
14,126 

142,639        43,596,378 


$679,694,439       20,618,307 


392     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  III.— SUMMARY  BY 


DENOMINATIONS. 


Adventists  (6  bodies) 

Baptists  (13  bodies) 

Brethren  (River)  (3  bodies) 

Brethren  (Plymouth)  (4  bodies) 

Catholics  (7  bodies) 

Catholic  Apostolic 

Chinese  Temples 

Christadelphians 

Christians  (2  bodies)  

Christian  Missionary  Association 

Christian  Scientists 

Christian  Union 

Church  of  God  (Winebrennerian) 

Church  Triumphant  (Schweinfurth) 

Church  of  the  New  Jerusalem 

Communistic  Societies  (8  bodies) 

Congregationalists 

Disciples  of  Christ 

Dunkards  (4  bodies) 

Evangelical  Association 

Friends  (4  bodies) 

Friends  of  the  Temple 

German  Evangelical  (Protestant) 

German  Evangelical  Synod 

Jewish  Congregations  (2  bodies) 

Latter-Day  Saints  (2  bodies) 

Lutherans  (16  bodies)  and  independent  con- 
gregations   

Mennonites  (12  bodies) 

Methodists  ( 17  bodies) 

Moravians 

Presbyterians  (12  bodies) 

Protestant  Episcopal  (2  bodies) 

Reformed  (3  bodies) 

Salvation  Army 

Schwenkfelders    

Social  Brethren 

Society  for  Ethical  Culture 

Spiritualists 

Theosophical  Society 

United  Brethren  (2  bodies) 

Unitarians 

Universalists 

Independent  Congregations 


Ministers. 

1,364 
25,646 

155 


9,196 

95 


10 

26 

183 

522 


119 


5,058 

3,773 
2,088 

i,235 
1,277 

4 

44 

680 

200 
2,043 

4,591 

905 

30,000 

"4 
10,448 

4,224 
1,506 


3 
17 


2,798 

515 

708 

54 


Organi- 
zations. 

i,757 

43,029 

in 

3H 
10,276 

10 


1,424 
13 

221 
294 

479 

12 
154 

32 

4,868 

7,246 

989 

2,310 

1,056 

4 

870 

III 

8,595 

550 

51,489 

94 

13,476 

5,102 

2,181 

329 

4 

20 

4 

334 
40 

4,526 
421 


156 


Total ii  1,036   165,297 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


393 


DENOMINATIONAL  FAMILIES. 


Church 

Seating 

Value  of  Church 

Communi- 

Edifices. 

Capacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

774 

190,748 

$1,236,345 

60,491 

37,789 

n,599,534 

82,392,423 

3,717,969 

70 

22,105 

81,350 

3,427 

1,465 

6,661 

8,816 

3,374,907 

118,371,366 

6,257,871 

3 

750 

66,050 

i,394 

4.7 

62,OOO 

*r/ 

4 

950 

2,700 

1,277 

1,098 

347,697 

1,775,202 

103,722 

II 

3,3oo 

3,9oo 

754 

7 

1,500 

40,666 

8,724 

184 

68,000 

234,450 

18,214 

338 

U5,53o 

643,185 

22,511 

I  s,OOO 

•j&i 

"88 

20,810 

*  J  J  WV 

1,386,455 

J^T 
7,095 

40 

9,450 

106,800 

4,049 

4,736 

i,553,o8o 

43,335,437 

512,771 

5,324 

1,609,452 

12,206,038 

641,051 

1,016 

414,036 

1,362,631 

73,795 

1,899 

479,335 

4,785,680 

133,313 

995 

302,218 

4,541,334 

107,208 

5 

1,150 

15,300 

340 

52 

35,175 

1,187,450 

36,156 

785 

245,78i 

4,614,490 

187,432 

301 

139,234 

9,754,275 

130,496 

388 

122,892 

1,051,791 

166,125 

6,701 

2,205,635 

35,060,354 

1,231,072 

406 

129,340 

643,800 

4i,54i 

46,138 

12,863,178 

132,140,179 

4,589,284 

114 

31,615 

681,250 

11,781 

12,469 

4,038,650 

94,869,097 

1,278,332 

5,io3 

1,360,877 

82,835,4!8 

540,509 

2,080 

825,931 

18,744,242 

309,458 

27 

12,055 

38,150 

8,742 

6 

1,925 

12,200 

306 

ii 

8,700 

8,700 

913 

i  064. 

30 

20,450 

573,650 

i»v-"-Ur 
45,030 

i 

200 

600 

695 

3,415 

991,138 

4,937,583 

225,281 

424 

165,090 

10,335,100 

67,749 

832 

244,615 

8,054,333 

49,194 

112 

39,345 

1,486,000 

14,126 

142,639         43,596,378 


$679,694,439       20,618,307 


394     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  IV. — DENOMINATIONS  ACCORDING  TO  NUMBER 
OF  COMMUNICANTS. 

DENOMINATIONS.  Communicants. 

1.  Roman  Catholic 6,231,417 

2.  Methodist  Episcopal 2,240,354 

3.  Regular  Baptist  (Colored) 1,348,989 

4.  Regular  Baptist  (South) 1,280,066 

5.  Methodist  Episcopal  (South) 1,209,976 

6.  Regular  Baptist  (North) 800,450 

7.  Presbyterian  (North) 788,224 

8.  Disciples  of  Christ 641,051 

9.  Protestant  Episcopal 532,054 

10.  Congregational 512,771 

11.  African  Methodist  Episcopal 452,725 

12.  Lutheran  Synodical  Conference 357>I53 

13.  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion 349,788 

14.  Lutheran  General  Council 324,846 

15.  Reformed  in  the  United  States 204,018 

16.  United  Brethren  in  Christ 202,474 

17.  German  Evangelical  Synod 187,432 

18.  Presbyterian  (South) 179,721 

19.  Cumberland  Presbyterian 164,940 

20.  Lutheran  General  Synod 164,640 

21.  Latter-Day  Saints 144,352 

22.  Methodist  Protestant 141,989 

23.  Evangelical  Association J  33,3*3 

24.  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal 129,383 

25.  Primitive  Baptist 121,347 

26.  United  Norwegian  Lutheran 1 19,972 

27.  United  Presbyterian 94,402 

28.  Reformed  in  America 92,970 

29.  Christian 90,718 

30.  Freewill  Baptist 87,808 

31.  Friends  (Orthodox) 80,655 

32.  Jewish  (Reformed) 72,899 

33.  Lutheran  Synod  of  Ohio 69,505 

34.  Unitarian  67,749 

35.  Dunkards  (Conservative) 61, 101 

36.  Jewish  (Orthodox)  57,597 

37.  Norwegian  Lutheran 55, 452 

38.  Universalist 49, 194 

39.  Spiritualist 45,030 

40.  Lutheran  United  Synod  in  the  South 37,457 

41.  German  Evangelical  Protestant 36,156 

42.  Seventh-Day  Adventist 28,991 


GENERAL   STATISTICAL   SUMMARIES.  395 


TABLE   IV.— Continued. 

DENOMINATIONS.  Communicants. 

43.  Advent  Christian 25,816 

44.  United  Brethren  (Old  Constitution) 22,807 

45.  Church  of  God 22,5 1 1 

46.  Free  Methodist 22, 1 10 

47.  Friends  (Hicksite) 21,992 

48.  Latter-Day  Saints  (Reorganized) 21,773 

49.  General  Baptist 21,362 

50.  Christian  Union 18,214 

5 1.  Mennonite 17,078 

52.  Wesleyan  Methodist 16,492 

53.  Hauge's  Lutheran  Synod 14,730 

Independent  Congregations 14,126 

54.  Russian  Orthodox 13,504 

55.  United  Baptist 13*209 

56.  Christian  (South) 13,004 

57.  Cumberland  Presbyterian  (Colored) 12,956 

58.  Old  Two-Seed  Baptist 12,85 l 

59.  Welsh  Calvinistic  Methodist 12,722 

60.  Christian  Reformed 12,470 

61.  Original  Freewill  Baptist 11,864 

62.  Moravian 1 1,781 

63.  Michigan  Lutheran  Synod 1 1,482 

64.  Greek  Catholic  (Uniates) 10,850 

65.  Reformed  Presbyterian  (Synod) 10,574 

66.  Danish  Lutheran  Church 10,181 

67.  Amish  Mennonite 10, 101 

68.  Seventh-Day  Baptist 9, 143 

69.  Congregational  Methodist 8,765 

70.  Salvation  Army 8,742 

71.  Christian  Scientist 8,724 

72.  Associated  Reformed  Synod  (South) 8,501 

73.  Reformed  Episcopal 8,455 

74.  Baptist  Church  in  Christ 8,254 

75.  Dunkards  (Progressive) 8,089 

76.  New  Jerusalem 7,095 

77.  Augsburg  Lutheran  Synod 7>oio 

78.  General  Conference  Mennonite 5,670 

79.  Immanuel  Lutheran  Synod 5, 580 

80.  Primitive  Methodist 4,764 

81.  Reformed  Presbyterian  (General  Synod) 4,602 

82.  Dunkards  (Old  Order) 4,41 1 

83.  Friends  (Wilburite) 4,329 

84.  Buffalo  Lutheran  Synod 4,242 

85.  Danish  Lutheran  Association 3,493 


396     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE   IV.— Continued. 

DENOMINATIONS.  Communicants. 

86.  African  Union  Methodist  Protestant 3*415 

87.  Churches  of  God  (Adventist) 2,872 

88.  Brethren  in  Christ 2,688 

89.  Independent  Methodist 2,569 

90.  (Plymouth)  Brethren  II 2,419 

91.  Zion  Union  Apostolic 2,346 

92.  (Plymouth)  Brethren  1 2,289 

93.  Union  American  Methodist  Episcopal 2,279 

94.  Old  Amish  (Mennonite) 2,038 

95.  Icelandic  Lutheran  Synod 1>99i 

96.  Shakers 1*728 

97.  Reformed  Mennonite 1*655 

98.  Amana  Society : 1,600 

99.  Separate  Baptist 1,599 

100.  Catholic  Apostolic 1*394 

101.  Bundes  Conference  (Mennonite) 1*388 

102.  Suomai  Lutheran  Synod 1*385 

103.  Christadelphian 1*277 

104.  (Plymouth)  Brethren  III 1*235 

105.  Evangelical  Adventist i*H7 

1 06.  Brethren  in  Christ  (Mennonite) i,  1 13 

107.  Ethical  Culture 1,064 

108.  New  Congregational  Methodist i>°59 

109.  Associate  Church  of  North  America i*°53 

1 10.  Life  and  Advent  Union 1,018 

in.  Reformed  Catholic 1,000 

112.  Evangelist  Missionary 95 1 

1 13.  Six-Principle  Baptist 937 

1 14.  Social  Brethren 913 

115.  Defenseless  Mennonite k 856 

1 1 6.  Christian  Missionary  Association 754 

117.  (Plymouth)  Brethren  IV 718 

1 18.  Theosophical  Society 695 

1 19.  Old  Catholic 665 

120.  Church  of  God  (Adventist) 647 

121.  Old  (Wisler)  Mennonite 610 

122.  Reformed  Presbyterian  in  the  United  States 

and  Canada 600 

123.  United  Zion's  Children 525 

124.  Church  of  God  in  Christ  (Mennonite) 471 

125.  Church  Triumphant  (Schweinfurth) 384 

126.  Bruederhoef  Mennonite 352 

127.  Friends  of  the  Temple 340 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES.  397 

TABLE   IV.— Continued. 

DENOMINATIONS.  Communicants. 

128.  Armenian  Catholic 335 

129.  Congregational  Methodist  (Colored) 319 

130.  Schwenkfelder    306 

131.  Harmony  Society 250 

132.  Friends  (Primitive) 232 

133.  Old  Order,  or  Yorker  Brethren 214 

134.  Apostolic  Mennonite 209 

135.  Church  Triumphant  (Koreshan  Ecclesia) 205 

136.  Separatists 200 

137.  Seventh-Day  Baptist,  German 194 

138.  Greek  Orthodox loo 

139.  Reformed  Presbyterian  Covenanted 37 

140.  Altruists 25 

141.  New  Icarians 21 

142.  Adonai  Shomo 20 

143.  Chinese  Temples  (no  members  reported). 


TABLE  V.— DENOMINATIONAL  FAMILIES  ACCORDING  TO 
NUMBER  OF  COMMUNICANTS. 

DENOMINATIONS.  Communicants. 

1.  Catholic 6,257,871 

2.  Methodist 4,589,284 

3.  Baptist S*?!?^ 

4.  Presbyterian 1,278,332 

5.  Lutheran 1,231,072 

6.  Episcopalian 54o>5O9 

7.  Reformed 309,458 

8.  United  Brethren 225,281 

9.  Latter-Day  Saints 166, 125 

10.  Jewish 130,496 

11.  Friends 107,208 

12.  Christians 103,722 

13.  Dunkards 73>795 

14.  Adventist 60,491 

15.  Mennonite 4M4I 

16.  (Plymouth)  Brethren 6,661 

17.  Communistic  Societies 4>°49 

18.  (River)  Brethren 3,427 


398     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  VI.— DENOMINATIONS 


DENOMINATIONS. 


Ministers. 


CONGRE 


Organi- 
zations. 


Adventist  (4  bodies) 1,061  733 

Baptist  ( 12  bodies) 25,528  42,862 

(River)  Brethren  (all) 155  1 1 1 

(Plymouth)  Brethren  (all) 314 

Catholic  (Reformed) 8  8 

Christians  (all) 1,435  M24 

Christadelphian 63 

Christian  Missionary  Association 10  13 

Christian  Scientist 26  221 

Christian  Union 183  294 

Chinese  Temples  47 

Congregational 5,058  4,868 

Disciples  of  Christ 3,773  7*246 

Friends  of  the  Temple 4  4 

German  Evangelical  Protestant 44  52 

Jewish  Congregations  (all) 200  533 

Lutheran  (2  bodies)  (b) 1,626  2,586 

Methodist  Independent 8  15 

Schwenkfelder 3  4 

Social  Brethren 17  20 

Society  for  Ethical  Culture ...  4 

Spiritualist ...  334 

Theosophical  Society ...  40 

Unitarian 515  421 

Independent  Congregations 54  156 

EPIS 

Catholic  (6  bodies) 9,188  10,268 

Catholic  Apostolic 95  10 

Evangelical  Association 1*235  2,310 

Latter-Day  Saints  (all) 2,043  856 

Methodist  (8  bodies) 27,019  46,907 

Moravian 1 14  94 

Protestant  Episcopal  (all) 4,224  5, 102 

United  Brethren  (all) 2,798  4,526 


(a)  For  explanations,  see  page 


of  Introduction, 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


399 


CLASSIFIED  ACCORDING  TO  POLITY  (a). 


GATIONAL. 


Church 

Seating 

Value  of  Church 

Communi- 

Edifices. 

Capacity. 

Property. 

cants. 

37/4 

95,921 
",558,134 

$589,870 
82,335,418 

30,853 
3,706,105 

70 

22,105 

8l,350 

3,427 

I,4.6i; 

6,661 

*,*rw3 

1,000 

1,098 

347,697 

1,775,202 

103,722 

4 

950 

2,700 

1,277 

ii 

3,300 

3,900 

754 

7 

1,500 

40,666 

8,724 

184 

68,000 

234,450 

18,214 

47 

62,000 

4,736 

1,553,080 

43,335,437 

512,771 

5,324 

1,609,452 

12,206,038 

641,051 

5 

1,150 

15,300 

340 

52 

35,175 

1,187,450 

36,156 

301 
2,162 

139,324 
654,867 

9,754,275 
10,693,145 

130,496 
468,611 

14 

7,725 

266,975 

2,569 

6 

1,925 

12,200 

306 

ii 

8,700 

8,700 

9U 

.... 

1,064 

30 

20,450 

573,650 

45,030 

i 

200 

600 

695 

424 

165,000 

10,335,100 

67,749 

112 

39,345 

1,486,000 

14,126 

COPAL. 


8,816 

I>8§? 
388 

42,961 
114 
5,103 
3,415 

3,374,907 
750 

479,335 
122,892 
11,952,703 
31,615 
1,360,877 
991,138 

$"8,371,366 
66,050 
4,785,680 
1,051,791 
126,599,144 
681,250 
82,835,418 
4,937,583 

6,256,871 
1,394 
133,313 
166,125 
4,387,802 
11,781 
540,509 
225,281 

(3)  Including  independent  congregations. 


400     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  VI. — DENOMINATIONS  CLASSIFIED 


DENOMINATIONS. 


Ministers. 


PRESBY 


Organi- 
zations. 


Adventist  (2  bodies) , 303  1,024 

Baptist,  Original  Freewill 1 18  167 

Church  of  God  (Winebrennerian) 522  479 

Church  of  the  New  Jerusalem 1 19  154 

Dunkards  (all) 2,088  989 

Friends  (all)  1,277  ^OS6 

German  Evangelical  Synod 680  870 

Lutheran  (a)  (14  bodies) 2,965  6,009 

Mennonites  (all) 905  550 

Methodist  (8  bodies) 2,973  4,567 

Presbyterians  (all) 10,448  13,476 

Reformed  (all) 1,506  2,181 

Salvation  Army 329 

Universalist 708  950 

RECAPIT 

Congregational 39,7<>8  62,373 

Episcopal 46,716  70,073 

Presbyterian 24,612  32,807 

Grand  Total 111,036  165,253 


TABLE  VII. — SUMMARY  OF 
COLORED 


DENOMINATIONS. 


Organizations. 


Regular  Baptist  (Colored) 12,533 

Union  American  Methodist  Episcopal 42 

African  Methodist  Episcopal 2,481 

African  Union  Methodist  Protestant 40 

(a)  For  explanations,  see 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


4OI 


ACCORDING  TO  POLITY. — Continued. 


TERIAN. 


Church 
Edifices. 

Searing 
Capacity. 

Value  of  Church 
Property. 

Communi- 
cants. 

419 

94,827 

$646,475 

29,638 

125 

41,400 

57,005 

11,864 

338 

"5,530 

643,185 

22,511 

88 

20,8lO 

1,386,455 

7,095 

1,016 

414,036 

1,362,631 

73,795 

995 

302,218 

4,541,334 

107,208 

785 

245,781 

4,614,490 

187,432 

4,539 

1,550,768 

24,367,209 

762,461 

406 

129,340 

643,800 

41,541 

3*163 

902,750 

5,274,060 

198,913 

12,469 

4,038,650 

94,869,097 

1,278,332 

2,080 

825,931 

18,744,242 

309,458 

27 

12,055 

38,150 

8,742 

832 

244,615 

8,054,333 

49,194 

ULATION. 

52,6l8 

16,334,000 

$175,001,891 

5,802,614 

62,699 

18,314,217 

339,328,282 

11,723,076 

27,282 

8,938,711 

165,242,466 

3,088,184 

142,599 

43,586,928 

$679,572,639 

20,613,874 

COLORED  ORGANIZATIONS. 
DENOMINATIONS. 


Church 
Edifices. 

Searing 
Capacity. 

Value  of  Church 
Property. 

Communi- 
cants. 

11,987 

35 
4,124 
27 

3,441,880 
II,50O 
1,160,838 

7,161 

$9,038,549 
187,600 
6,468,280 
54,440 

1,349,189 
2,279 
452,725 
3,415 

page 


of  Introduction. 


402     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  VII.— COLORED 


DENOMINATIONS.  Organizations. 

African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion 1*704 

Congregational  Methodist  (Colored) 9 

Colored  Methodist  Episcopal i»759 

Zion  Union  Apostolic 32 

Evangelist  Missionary 1 1 

Cumberland  Presbyterian  (Colored) 224 

Total 18,835 


COLORED  ORGANIZATIONS 

Regular  Baptist  (North) 406 

Regular  Baptist  (South) 7 

Freewill  Baptist 5 

Primitive  Baptist 323 

Old  Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit  Predestinarian  Baptist .  15 

Roman  Catholic 31 

Christians  (Christian  Connection) 63 

Congregational 85 

Disciples  of  Christ 277 

Lutheran  (Synodical  Conference) 5 

Lutheran  (United  Synod  hi  the  South) 5 

Methodist  Episcopal 2,984 

Methodist  Protestant 54 

Independent  Methodist 2 

Presbyterian  (Northern) 233 

Presbyterian  (Southern) 45 

Reformed  Presbyterian  (Synod) I 

Protestant  Episcopal 49 

Reformed  Episcopal 37 

Total 4,627 


RECAPIT 

Colored  Denominations 18,835 

Colored  Organizations  in  other  Denominations  ....          4,627 
Total 23,462 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


403 


DENOMINATIONS.— Continued. 


Church 
Edifices. 

Seating 
Capacity. 

1,587 

565,577 

5 

585 

i,653 

541,464 

27 

IO,IOO 

3 

1,050 

183 

52,139 

19,631 

5,792,294 

IN   OTHER 

DENOMINATIONS. 

324 

92,660 

5 

1,900 

3 

800 

29I 

96,699 

4 

1,025 

27 

8,370 

54 

16,495 

69 

19,360 

183 

4i,59o 

5 

1,050 

3 

550 

2,800 

635,252 

50 

n,545 

2 

725 

200 

56,280 

29 

6,190 

I 

300 

53 

11,885 

36 

5,975 

4,139 

1,008,651 

ULATION. 

19.631 

5,792,294 

4,139 

1,008,651 

23,770 

6,800,945 

Value  of  Church  Communi- 

Property.  cants. 

$2,714,128  349*788 

525  319 

1,713^66  129,383 

15,000  2,346 

2,000  951 

195,826  12,956 

$20,389,714  2,303,351 


$1,087,518 

3,875 

13,300 

135,427 

930 

237,400 

23,500 

246,125 

176,795 

13,400 

i,75° 
3,630,093 

35,445 

4,675 

391,650 

22,200 

1,500 

192,750 

18,401 


$6,236,734 


$20,389,714 

6,236,734 

$26,626,448 


370,826 


2,303,351 

370,826 
2,674,177 


404    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  VIII.— CHURCHES  IN  CITIES — FIRST  CLASS  (a). 

ORGANIZATIONS. 

New  rt  •  Phila-  Brook- 

DENOMINATIONS.                          York  T£*°*  delphia,  lyn,  Total. 

City.  &.  tfY. 

Baptist  (4  bodies) 43  36  94  34  207 

Roman  Catholic 123  123  57  57  360 

Congregational 8  47  3  20  78 

Disciples  of  Christ 3  5  3  3  14 

Evangelical  Association 3  n  9  6  29 

Friends  (3  bodies) 3  2  10  3  18 

Lutheran  (u  bodies) 29  65  41  25  160 

Jewish  Congregations  (2  bodies)  135  17  9  8  169 

Methodist  Episcopal 63  97  108  56  324 

Other  Methodist  (9  bodies) ...       8  14  24  12  58 

Presbyterian  (6  bodies) 67  39  112  31  249 

Protestant  Episcopal 80  36  87  42  245 

Reformed  (3  bodies) 32  9  21  18  80 

Unitarian 3  5  3  3  14 

Universalist 4  5  2  5  16 

Miscellaneous 40  62  27  37  166 

Total 644  573  610  360  2,187 

(a)  Cities  having  500,000  population  and  upward. 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES.  405 


TABLE  VIII.  —  CHURCHES  IN  CITIES  —  FIRST  CLASS.  —  Continued. 


CHURCH   EDIFICES. 


New    r.-     ,         Phila-      Brook- 


DENOMINATIONS.  York    vn*j**°>   delphia.      lyn,  Total. 


City.         IU'  Pa.   ' 


Baptist  (4  bodies) -  41  40  o£  42  218 

Roman  Catholic 108  119  01  62  350 

Congregational , 10  48  4  27  89 

Disciples  of  Christ 2  4  2  2  10 

Evangelical  Association 3  n  9  6  29 

Friends  (3  bodies) 2  i  15  3  21 

Lutheran  (i i  bodies) 24  58  40  25  147 

Jewish  Congregations  (2  bodies)  41  10  8  8  67 

Methodist  Episcopal 63  75-  107  55  300 

Other  Methodist  (9  bodies)  ...  6  13  20  1 1  50 

Presbyterian  (6  bodies) 79  38  136  37  290 

Protestant  Episcopal 98  32  102  60  292 

Reformed  (3  bodies) 34  9  21  25  89 

Unitarian 4  4  4  5  17 

Universalist 4425  15 

Miscellaneous 15  34  38  10  97 

Total 534  500  664  383  2,081 


406     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE    UNITED  STATES. 

TABLE  VIII.— CHURCHES  IN 
VALUE  OF 

DENOMINATIONS.  New  York  City. 

Baptist  (4  bodies) $3,878,800 

Roman  Catholic 8, 124,750 

Congregational 1,015,500 

Disciples  of  Christ 113,000 

Evangelical  Association 80,000 

Friends  (3  bodies) 448,000 

Lutheran  (11  bodies) 1,621,800 

Jewish  Congregations  (2  bodies) 3,740,000 

Methodist  Episcopal 3,640,750 

Other  Methodist  (9  bodies) 331,000 

Presbyterian  (6  bodies) 9,354,000 

Protestant  Episcopal 16,393,000 

Reformed  (3  bodies) 3,448,000 

Unitarian 630,000 

Universalist 565,000 

Miscellaneous 1 ,287,000 


Total $54,670,600 

COMMUNI 

Population 1,515,301 


DENOMINATIONS. 


Baptist  (4  bodies) 14,5 10 

Roman  Catholic 386,200    US ' 

Congregational 3,047 

Disciples  of  Christ 414 

Evangelical  Association 292 

Friends  (3  bodies) 835 

Lutheran  ( 1 1  bodies) 16, 125 

Jewish  Congregations  (2  bodies) 35*085 

Methodist  Episcopal 14,998 

Other  Methodist  (9  bodies) 2,681 

Presbyterian  (6  bodies) 26,602 

Protestant  Episcopal 37,597 

Reformed  (3  bodies) 8,942 

Unitarian 940 

Universalist 863 

Miscellaneous 7,823 

Total 556,954 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


407 


CITIES — FIRST  CLASS. — Continued. 


CHURCH  PROPERTY. 


Chicago,  111. 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

$I,°53,35° 

$2,962,384 

$1,858,000 

4,837,657 

2,468,300 

4,984,637 

1,272,310 

l6o,IIO 

i,753,ooo 

65,000 

35,ooo 

50,800 

137,000 

130,500 

49,500 

12,000 

1,495,000 

146,000 

1,080,250 

1,584,400 

852,100 

536,500 

475,000 

227,000 

2,023,100 

3,288,200 

2,116,500 

195,600 

258,900 

166,650 

1,646,800 

6,504,500 

1,582,000 

1,223,100 

5,919,171 

3,369,500 

35,800 

860,000 

976,500 

300,000 

250,000 

I90,OOO 

218,000 

245,500 

183,250 

826,200 

1,386,400 

177,000 

$15,462,667 

$28,023,365 

$18,682,437 

CANTS. 

1,099,850 

1,046,964 

806,343 

12,634 

25,193 

13,971 

262,047    "' 

>*>        163,658  *'* 

1«          201,063 

9,704 

890 

11,153 

1,320 

472 

287 

1,684 

1,256 

412 

222 

5,oi4 

768 

34,999 

n,653 

14,732 

9,187 

4,216 

2,645 

15,859 

32,925 

18,410 

2,091 

5,28i 

1,416 

11,831 

41,199 

17,095 

8,937 

28,319 

17,600 

809 

7,566 

5,473 

995 

675 

i,  600 

1,037 

5H 

771 

14,789 

6,358 

2,214 

388,145 


335,189 


309,610 


TotaL 

$9,752,534 

20,415,344 

4,200,920 

263,800 

397,000 
2,101,000 

5,138,550 

4,978,500 

11,068,550 

952,150 

19,087,300 

26,904,771 

5,320,300 

1,370,000 

1,211,750 

3,676,600 

$116,839,069 


4,468,458 
66,308 

1,012,968 

24,794 

2,493 

3,644 

6,839 

77,509 

5i,i33 

82,192 

11,469 

96,727 

92,453 

22,790 

4,210 

3,185 
31,184 

1,589,898 


408    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  VIIL— CHURCHES  IN 


ORGANI 


CITIES. 

St.  Louis,  Mo 

Boston,  Mass 

Baltimore,  Md.  . . . 
San  Francisco,  Cal. 

Cincinnati,  O 

Cleveland,  O 

Buffalo,  N.  Y 

New  Orleans,  La. . . 

Pittsburg,  Pa 

Washington,  D.  C. 

Detroit,  Mich 

Milwaukee,  Wis.  . . 

Newark,  N.  J 

Minneapolis,  Minn. 
Jersey  City,  N.  J. . . 

Louisville,  Ky 

Omaha,  Neb 

Rochester,  N.  Y.  . . 

St.  Paul,  Minn 

Kansas  City,  Mo.  . . 
Providence,  R.  I.  . . 

Denver,  Col 

Indianapolis,  Ind.  . 
Allegheny,  Pa 


Total 


Baptist 
(5  bodies). 

Catholic     i 
(6  bodies). 

Congref 
tional. 

;a-      Tews 
(2  bodies). 

Lutheran 
(12  bodies). 

35 

86 

14 

9 

16 

3 

60 
42 

30 

2 

7 
ii 

7 
25 

8 

33 

8 

6 

7 

15 

5 

6 

4 

16 

26 

16 

ii 

12 

12 

29 

4 

4 

13 

27 

32 

4 

9 

IO 

12 

43 

2 

2 

12 

55 

15 

6 

2 

II 

ii 

32 

6 

4 

16 

9 

29 

6 

5 

22 

12 

19 

2 

7 

4 

16 

if 

20 

2 

21 

"1$ 

15 

3 

2 

7 

25. 

22 

I 

4 

6 

8 

9 

10 

5 

ii 

12 

16 

2 

3 

7 

II 

25 

9 

3 

20 

13 

22 

7 

3 

4 

19 

18 

13 

4 

i 

II 

12 

10 

4 

5 

IO 

9 

5 

6 

4 

5 

13 

2 

i 

12 

417        666         187        120       257 


CHURCH 


St.  Louis,  Mo 

Boston,  Mass 

Baltimore,  Md 

San  Francisco,  Cal. 

Cincinnati,  O 

Cleveland,  O 

Buffalo,  N.Y 

New  Orleans,  La. . . 


36 

29 

38 

80 
35 
4i 

12 
32 
2 

5 

I 

'i 

24 

6 

33 

9 

5 

6 

12 

40 

5 

5 

3 

16 

28 

17 

5 

ii 

15 

28 

5 

2 

13 

26 

32 

4 

4 

10 

(a)  Cities  having  a  population 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUM  At  ARIES.  409 

CITIES — SECOND  CLASS  (a). 

ZATIONS. 

Other  Presbvte-       T.    .  »>  e   _     *         »»?     _. 

Total. 

289 

270 

371 
150 
179 
100 

t 

I94 

195 
152 
121 


Methodist 
Episcopal. 

utner 
Methodist 
(n  bodies) 

JTesoyte- 
rian 
(n  bodies). 

Protestant 
Episcopal. 

Reformed 
(3  bodies). 

Miscel- 
laneous. 

21 

21 

25 

20 

42 

24 

2 

9 

27 

I 

74 

87 

42 

27 

40 

IO 

47 

16 

4 

19 

7 

42 

S 

2 

4 

21 

14 

II 

16 

5 

12 

36 
45 

20 

13 

17 

8 

33 

22 

26 

13 

ii 

ii 

27 

12 

45 

13 

2 

24 

23 

30 

16 

17 

2 

18 

16 

5 

15 

21 

2 

24 

13 

3 

7 

5 

2 

20 

17 

4 

23 

ii 

7 

9 

24 

3 

ii 

8 

H 

2 

10 

9 

ii 

8 

9 

17 

16 

12 

2 

15 

10 

2 

15 

IO 

15 

10 

3 

'3 

12 

4 

16 

28 

2 

13 

12 

I 

15 

19 

10 

12 

5 

i 

27 

12 

7 

2 

13 

26 

12 

5 

10 

8 

I 

20 

18 

6 

16 

7 

3 

21 

7 

5 

25 

2 

6 

500 

220 

390 

3H 

74 

627 

EDIFICES. 

21 

18 

26 

17 

.- 

33 

g 

2 

37 

8 
35 

35 
52 

i 

10 

59 
38 

16 

3 

16 

9 

22 

3i 

2 

24 

ii 

5 

30 

20 

3 

21 

20 

12 

42 

20 

17 

19 

8 

24 

20 

26 

U 

13 

6 

of  100,000  to 

500,000. 

129 


139 
123 
n? 


3,770 


263 
235 
371 

III 

195 
154 
154 


410    RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  VIIL— CHURCH 


Pittsburg,  Pa 

Washington,  D.  C. 

Detroit,  Mich 

Milwaukee,  Wis.  . . 

Newark,  N.  J 

Minneapolis,  Minn. 
Jersey  City,  N.  J. . . 

Louisville,  Ky 

Omaha,  Neb 

Rochester,  N.  Y. . . 

St.  Paul,  Minn 

Kansas  City,  Mo. . . 
Providence,  R.  I. . . 

Denver,  Col 

Indianapolis,  Ind.  . 
Allegheny,  Pa 


Baptist      Catholic     Congrega-       Jews         Lutheran 
5  bodies).  (6  bodies).      tional.      (2 


10 
45 

12 

9 

12 

16 
8 

27 
9 

H 

ii 

12 

21 
10 
10 

5 


40 

15 
32 

22 

19 
12 

IS 

22 


18 

21 

17 

12 

8 
13 


2 

6 
6 
6 

2 

16 

2 

10 

2 

8 

I* 

10 

4 

2 


bodies). 

(12  bodies). 

2 

13 

2 

13 

4 

16 

3 

22 

S 

3 

i 

17 

i 

5 

2 

6 

2 

10 

2 

8 

2 

19 

I 

4 

I 

3 

'6 

4 

6 

10 

Total 


409    608 


74   246 


VALUE  OF  CHURCH 


St.  Louis,  Mo 

Boston,  Mass 

Baltimore,  Md 

San  Francisco,  Cal. 

Cincinnati,  O 

Cleveland,  O 

Buffalo,  N.Y 

New  Orleans,  La. . . 

Pittsburg,  Pa 

Washington,  D.  C. 

Detroit,  Mich 

Milwaukee,  Wis.  . . 

Newark,  N.  J 

Minneapolis,  Minn. 

Jersey  City,  N.  J 

Louisville,  Ky 

Omaha,  Neb 

Rochester,  N,  Y. . . 


Baptist 

Catholic 

(5  bodies). 

(6  bodies). 

$431,375 

$1,602,835 

i,537,ooo 

3,296,700 

804,150 

1,462,920 

199,250 

1,364,300 

348,500 

1,934,900 

363,500 

832,000 

412,000 

2,176,500 

137,850 

970,400 

252,200 

1,373,800 

1,026,000 

990,800 

344,200 

1,050,800 

200,800 

891,200 

547,ooo 

783,049 

513,863 

625,115 

207,000 

1,083,500 

686,650 

889,200 

124,300 

549,000 

424,607 

1,057,000 

GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


411 


EDIFICES. — Continued. 


Methodist 
Episcopal. 

Other 
Methodist 
(n  bodies). 

Presbyte- 
rian 
(n  bodies). 

Protestant 
Episcopal. 

Reformed 
(3  bodies). 

Miscel- 
laneous. 

Total. 

26 

12 

46 

18 

2 

16 

I87 

22 

27 

20 

27 

2 

7 

1  86 

17 

3 

17 

29 

2 

18 

156 

14 

2 

8 

8 

2 

ii 

107 

18 

4 

35 

16 

12 

6 

132 

23 

2 

H 

8 

.  . 

17 

126 

14 

2 

ii 

12 

12 

7 

89 

9 

18 

20 

19 

2 

19 

144 

10 

2 

16 

IO 

. 

6 

84 

ii 

2 

14 

16 

6 

ii 

102 

3«> 

2 

13 

U 

i 

ii 

128 

13 

9 

IS 

5 

i 

15 

101 

ii 

5 

2 

H 

H 

IOI 

12 
19 

46 

,1 

7 
7 

i 

3 

9 
13 

81 
96 

7 

5 

26 

4 

5 

77 

493 


199 


440 


389 


82          439        3,562 


PROPERTY. 


Congrega- 

Jews 

Lutheran 

Methodist 

tional. 

(2  bodies). 

(12  bodies). 

Episcopal. 

$333,000 

$178,000 

$422,400 

$274,450 

2,318,100 

243,000 

72,000 

1,085,000 

68,000 

263,000 

585,800 

2,055,300 

249,500 

300,000 

168,200 

446,500 

169,000 

484,000 

II9,OOO 

691,000 

397,200 

108,000 

178,000 

517,000 

117,000 

50,000 

257,070 

404,900 

15,700 

235,000 

6o,2OO 

119,412 

52,500 

65,000 

373,000 

796,900 

339,000 

42,000 

414,000 

758,800 

161,500 

IO7,OOO 

181,250 

366,600 

158,000 

93,000 

653,700 

l83,000 

90,000 

117,800 

75,000 

679,500 

465,250 

20,000 

203,000 

474,200 

52,000 

10,000 

77,000 

345,300 

4,  CQO 

40,800 

105,000 

220,600 

*-(.}  2  V-'V 

20,500 

258,075 

191,100 

120,000 

40,000 

127,000 

250,000 

412 


RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  VIIL— VALUE  OF 


St.  Paul,  Minn 

Kansas  City,  Mo. 
Providence,  R.  I. 

Denver,  Col 

Indianapolis,  Ind. 
Allegheny,  Pa. . . 


Baptist 
(5  bodies). 

$250,400 

356,000 

676,700 

254,600 

93,600 

37,400 


Catholic 
(6  bodies). 

$683,300 
569,950 

1,285,000 
513,042 
243,700 
337,500 


Total $10,228,945      $26,566,5 1 1 


CONTINUATION  OF  VALUE 


St.  Louis,  Mo 

Boston,  Mass 

Baltimore,  Md 

San  Francisco,  Cal. 

Cincinnati,  O 

Cleveland,  O 

Buffalo,  N.  Y 

New  Orleans,  La. . . 

Pittsburg,  Pa 

Washington,  D.  C. 

Detroit,  Mich 

Milwaukee,  Wis.  . . 

Newark,  N.  J 

Minneapolis,  Minn. 
Jersey  City,  N.  J. . . 

Louisville,  Ky 

Omaha,  Neb 

Rochester,  N.  Y. . . 
St.  Paul,  Minn.  . . . 
Kansas  City,  Mo. .  . 
Providence,  R.  I. . . 

Denver,  Col 

Indianapolis,  Ind.  . 
Allegheny,  Pa 


Other  Methodist 

Presbyterian 

(n  bodies). 

(n  bodies). 

$474,000 

$980,700 

IO5,OOO 

350,000 

686,100 

1,191,324 

7i,45o 

666,100 

18,000 

963,700 

31,000 

840,000 

17,300 

1,051,600 

319,195 

337,000 

448,800 

2,042,450 

760,100 

950,000 

30,600 

875,000 

42,500 

302,500 

58,500 

1,339,720 

11,000 

546,000 

16,600 

280,500 

268,500 

575,5oo 

53,000 

195,700 

16,000 

670,000 

18,000 

395,ooo 

250,070 

332,700 

80,368 

55,000 

110,000 

236,150 

87,500 

360,000 

123,000 

831,600 

Total $4,097,483      $16,368,244 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


413 


CHURCH  PROPERTY— Continued. 


$133,200 

164,500 

585,500 

206,300 

66,050 

30,500 


Jews 
(2  bodies). 

$50,000 
50,000 
25,000 
63,500 
24,500 


Lutheran 
(12  bodies). 

$269,300 

95,000 

140,200 
118,700 
201,400 


$6,512,400  $2,593,800  $5,090,095 


Methodist 
Episcopal. 

$389,200 

397,385 
250,300 
652,000 
351,000 
197,000 

$11,980,847 


OF  CHURCH  PROPERTY. 


Protestant 
Episcopal. 

Reformed 
(3  bodies). 

$5O2,OOO 

2,144,175 

$56,000 

1,418,544 

185,500 

•58^.000 

j«O,vyv*i 

314,000 

172,500 

367,700 

74,650 

797,000 

76,000 

2^1.  sOO 

•"j  *O^^ 
939,500 

70,000 

788,500 

31,000 

62I,6OO 

13,000 

493,700 

24,500 

426,000 

426,500 

246,200 



325,000 

336,500 

376,300 

25,000 

276,550 

330,500 

46,000 

193,700 

8,000 

200,500 

12,000 

627.1OO 

V.**  j   )  JV-*V 

418,000 

20,000 

153,000 

23,000 

76.000 

/  V,  N^^V 

Miscellaneous. 


Total. 


$677,300 

$5,876,960 

3,464,400 

14,671,375 

808,200 

9,528,838 

390,800 

4,241,100 

929,450 

6,144,050 

524,850 

4,233,900 

609,750 

5,969,120 

126,850 

2,553,107 

499,600 

6,913,750 

270,375 

6,370,575 

367,600 

4,119,150 

162,500 

3,205,400 

179,000 

4,722,069 

342,200 

3,446,828 

65,000 

2,798,400 

361,300 

3,332,750 

102,000 

1,990,825 

297,000 

3,378,107 

109,200 

2,499,300 

244,250 

2,672,355 

673,600 

4,258,768 

270,350 

2,884,142 

130,600 

1,651,650 

203,000 

2,037,400 

$12,652,269    $1,600,150   $11,809,175   $109,499,919 


414    RELIGIOUS  FORCES   OF   THE    UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  VIII— CHURCHES  IN 


COMMUNI 


Popula-  Baptist         Catholic 

tion.  (5  bodies).      (6  bodies). 


Con- 


Boston,  Mass  

448,477 

J,~JT 
11,885 

l85,l88 

IO,O76     2,3OO 

Baltimore,  Md  

434,430 

18,728 

77,O47 

268      3,5OO 

San  Francisco,  Cal  
Cincinnati,  O  

.      298,997 
206,008 

1,228 
4,O63 

70,670 
72,368 

2,121      4,075 
I,O47     3,725 

Cleveland,  O  

261,353 

3,440 

52,420 

3,333      2,  Oil 

Buffalo,  N.  Y  

255,664 

3,058 

73,OIO 

5Q2      I,O25 

New  Orleans,  La.  .    . 

242,030 

2,041 

67,156 

431      2,75O 

Pittsburg,  Pa  

2,288 

56,Ql6 

480      I.25O 

Washington,  D.  C  
Detroit,  Mich  

.      230,392 
205,876 

2I,78l 
3,O78 

36,488 
45,705 

i,399       976 
1,268    2,700 

Milwaukee,  Wis  

204,4.68 

1,686 

35,O5O 

1,154         08  1 

Newark,  N.  J  

4,1  IQ 

3Q,324 

744     2.OQO 

Minneapolis   Minn 

164.  778 

3  687 

37  855 

3372          4.74. 

Tersey  City,  N.  T.  . 

163,003 

2,378 

j/,uj3 
45,76o 

633          25O 

Louisville,  Ky. 

161,120 

13,753 

33,74.0 

56         515 

Omaha,  Neb  

140,452 

I,IO7 

7,675 

I,IO3      I,O35 

Rochester,  N  Y 

133  806 

334.5 

31  6QO 

4.60       oil 

St.  Paul,  Minn  

133,156 

1,867 

51,215 

1,354         Q5O 

Kansas  City,  Mo 

132  7l6 

4.  4.QO 

1  1  QOO 

I  076         825 

Providence,  R.  I  
Denver,  Col. 

132,146 
Io6  713 

5,382 
2.4.Q8 

44,065 

l8.O3Q 

i,w/v           «^j 
3,766         875 
1.362       805 

Indianapolis,  Ind. 

IO5.4.36 

8,300 

»J  ,         ~yj 
636     1,627 

Allegheny,  Pa. 

105,287 

I.OO5 

1  3,4.04. 

356           25 

Total        

5,220,4.32 

126,184. 

I,IQI.l63 

3Q.766  30.687 

Cities  of  the  First  Cl 

ass  (4)  

RECAPIT 

Organi- 
zations. 

2,l87 

Cities  of  the  Second 

Class  (24)  .  . 

3,77O 

Cities  of  the  Third  C 

:iass  (06)  . 

4,284 

Total  (124) 10,241 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


415 


CITIES — SECOND  CLASS. — Continued. 


CANTS. 


Lutheran 
(12  bodies). 

Methodist 
Episco- 
pal. 

Other 
Methodist 
(u  bodies). 

Presby-    Protestant 
terian        Episco- 
(n  bodies),     pal. 

Reformed 
(3  bodies). 

Mis- 
cella- 
neous. 

Total 

7,458 

3,871 

6,440 

5,727 

3,536 

16,900 

131,186 

1,959 

5,963 

737 

2,243 

8,167 

62 

15,468 

244,048 

10,902 

22,258 

10,879 

6,505 

12,193 

3,695 

9,920 

175,995 

2,096 

3,U5 

1,125 

3,421 

2,446 

2,575 

92,872 

1,252 

6,262 

587 

5,110 

2,253 

2,018 

17,092 

H5,777 

7,162 

4,440 

543 

5,553 

3,257 

2,611 

8,706 

94,385 

13,460 

3,785 

210 

4,240 

3,387 

2,163 

9,330 

115,160 

2,777 

3,938 

4,679 

3,023 

2,910 

5,111 

95,7i6 

4,868 

6,701 

2,926 

12,066 

3,545 

630 

14,078 

105,757 

2,997 

9,H4 

6,526 

5,128 

7,315 

301 

2,517 

94,572 

8,609 

4,696 

875 

5,343 

5,693 

2  2O 

5,120 

83,397 

18,892 

2,403 

119 

1,467 

1,952 

380 

4,165 

68,249 

1,387 

6,199 

568 

7,606 

3,076 

2;I78 

2,697 

60,988 

5,906 

4,432 

I89 

3,653 

2,465 

3,i5i 

65,184 

2,230 

3,805 

231 

2,000 

2,755 

3,033 

790 

63,865 

1,483 

1,613 

6,271 

3,98l 

3,651 

600 

7,692 

73,355 

1,277 

1,859 

2O4 

2,150 

1,228 



1,020 

18,658 

4,847 

3,008 

360 

6,137 

3,263 

952 

4,064 

59,037 

5,608 

3,290 

190 

2,772 

2,140 

120 

1,607 

7i,H3 

838 

3,195 

1,960 

2,272 

i,H3 

31 

3,870 

31,600 

75 

2,886 

859 

525 

4,251 

4,031 

66,715 

540 

2,858 

706 

2,319 

1,820 

35 

2,541 

33,6i3 

2,588 

5,829 

2,053 

3,806 

I,I2O 

560 

3,833 

32,156 

2,804 

2,538 

1,107 

6,985 

484 

3,868 

32,666 

112,015  118,088  50,344  104,032  84,050  19,589  150,146  2,035,064 


JLATION. 


Church 
Edifices. 

Value  of  Church 
Property. 

Communi- 
cants. 

Population. 

2,  08  1 

$116,839,069 

1,589,898 

4,468,458 

3,562 

109,499,919 

2,035,064 

5,229,432 

4,079 

87,198,259 

1,677,056 

4,291,048 

9,722 

$313,537,247 

5,302,018 

13,988,938 

STATISTICAL   SUMMARY  BY  STATES  ACCORDING 
TO  THE  CENSUS  OF  1906 

SHOWING  GAINS  IN  THE  SIXTEEN  YEARS  IN  NUMBER  AND 
PERCENTAGE  OF  COMMUNICANTS 


.18     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  I.— RETURNS 


STATES. 


Alabama 

*  Alaska 

Arizona 

Arkansas 

California 

Colorado 

Connecticut 

Delaware 

District  of  Columbia. 

Florida 

Georgia 

Idaho 

Illinois 

Indiana 

Iowa 

Kansas 

Kentucky 

Louisiana 

Maine 

Maryland 

Massachusetts 

Michigan 

Minnesota 

Mississippi 

Missouri 

Montana 

Nebraska 

Nevada 

New  Hampshire 

New  Jersey 

New  Mexico 

New  York 

North  Carolina 

North  Dakota 

Ohio 

fOklahoma 

Oregon 

Pennsylvania 


Organizations. 
8,858 

236 
6,144 
2,840 
I,26l 

1,364 

467 

288 

3,346 

IO,O26 

673 
9,308 
6,829 
6,259 

4,975 
6,512 

3,8i3 
i,532 
2,756 
3,031 
5,605 
4,72i 
7,36i 
9,172 

542 

3,300 

86 

832 
2,750 

624 
9,227 

8,554 
1,961 
9,807 
4,466 
1,290 
12,748 


8,i83 

181 
5,192 
2,521 

956 
1,414 

478 

264 
3,061 
9,624 

495 
8,626 
6,580 
5,92i 
4,107 
5,894 
3,630 

2^814 
2,983 
4,882 
4,280 

6,997 

8,146 

407 

2,847 
67 

851 
2,875 

522 

9,193 
8,188 

1,325 

2^09 

i, 086 

12,780 


2,423,175 


40,954 

1,446,892 

694,510 

255,469 
522,941 
130,267 

142,3" 

688,986 

3,063,866 

121,775 

2,685,352 

2,132,181 

1,617,467 

1,054,976 

i,775,i23 

1,046,850 

412,833 

810,701 

1,313,564 
i,353,i8o 

1,104,317 

2,041,665 

2,391,498 

100,665 

649,132 

15,015 

254,017 

1,015,903 

129,745 
3,191,267 

2,715,567 
262,251 

3,102,819 
598,650 
270,329 

4,646,929 


Not  given  in  census  of  1906- 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


419 


BY  STATES  FOR  1906. 


Vnlu-!  of  Church 
Property. 

$13,314,993 
798,975 

6,733,375 
28,065,261 

7,723,200 
29,196,128 

3,250,105 
10,025,122 

5,795,859 
17,929,183 

1,726,734 
66,222,514 
31,081,500 
30,464,860 

14,053,454 
18,044,389 
10,456,146 

9,955,363 
23,765,172 
84,729,445 
27,144,250 
26,053,159 

9,482,229 
38,059,233 

2,809,779 

12,114,817 

402,350 

7,864,991 

50,907,123 

956,605 

255,166,284 

14,053,505 

4,576,157 
74,670,765 

4,933,843 

4,620,793 

173,605,141 


Communi- 
cants. 

824,209 


45,057 
426,179 
611,464 
205,666 
502,560 

71,251 

136,759 

221,318 

1,029,037 

74,578 
2,077,197 

938,405 
788,667 
458,190 

858,324 
778,901 
212,988 

473,257 
1,562,621 

982,479 
834,442 

657,381 

1,199,239 

98,984 

345,803 

14,944 

190,298 

857,548 

137,009 

3,591,974 

824,385 

159,053 

1,742,873 

257,100 

120,229 

2,977,022 


Increase  in  Communicants,  1890-1906. 
Actual.  Percentage. 


265,038 


47 


18,085 

67 

129,971 

44 

330,845 

118 

118,829 

137 

193,219 

62 

22,572 

46 

42,556 

45 

79,584 

56 

349,986 

52 

50,542 

210 

874,609 

73 

244,545 

35 

231,580 

42 

121,461 

36 

251,927 

42 

378,909 

95 

52,717 

33 

93,839 

25 

619,870 

66 

412,975 

73 

301,852 

57 

226,635 

53 

463,400 

63 

66,236 

202 

151,337 

78 

9,056 

154 

87,307 

85 

349,197 

69 

31,260 

30 

1,420,152 

65 

139,191 

20 

99,557 

I67 

526,407 

43 

222,924 

652 

49,705 

70 

1,250,382 

72 

t  Includes  Indian  Territory,  given  separately  in  1890. 


420     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  I.— RETURNS  BY 


STA1 


Organizations. 


Edifices. 


Rhode  Island 507  493 

South  Carolina 5,373  5,290 

South  Dakota i>7Q8  1,461 

Tennessee 7,963  7,400 

Texas 12,285  9>5$9 

Utah 537  516 

Vermont 902  891 

Virginia 6,605  6,480 

Washington i,759  1,4*6 

West  Virginia 4,019  3,428 

Wisconsin 4,880  4,562 

Wyoming 226  160 

Total  for  U.  S.  in  1906 210,418  192,795 

Total  for  U.  S.  in  1890 165,271  142,605 


Increase  in  16  years 45,147 


50,190 


Seating 
Capacity. 

195,688 

1,774,437 
285,197 

2,323,285 

2,822,460 
169,369 
235,661 

1,974,332 
341,812 
949,812 

1,206,385 
35,250 

58,536,830 
43,591,575 

14,945,255 

*  Exclusive 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


421 


STATES  FOR  1906. — Continued. 


Value  of  Church 

Communi- 

Increase in  Communicants, 

1800- 

Property. 

cants. 

Actual.                P 

ercenl 

$9,533,543 

264,712 

116,704 

79 

10,209,043 

665,933 

157,448 

3i 

4,538,oi3 

161,961 

76,471 

89 

14,469,012 

697,570 

144,912 

26 

22,949,976 

1,226,906 

549,745 

81 

3,612,422 

172,814 

44,699 

35 

5,939,492 

147,223 

40,908 

40 

19,699,014 

793,546 

224,311 

38 

8,082,986 

191,976 

133,178 

227 

9,733,585 

301,565 

109,088 

57 

27,277,837 

1,000,903 

444,420 

80 

778,142 

23,945 

12,240 

105 

$1,257,575,867 

32,936,445 

12,332,990 

60 

679,490,789 

20,603,455 

$578,085,078 


12,332,990 


of  Alaska. 


STATISTICAL  TABLES  FOR  1900  AND  1910 
GAINS  AND  LOSSES  OF  Two  DECADES 


424     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


STATISTICAL   SUMMARIES 
TABLE  I. — MINISTERS,  CHURCHES,  AND  COMMUNI 

For  the 

In  the  United 

DENOMINATIONS.  Ministers.     Churches. 

ADVENTISTS: 

1.  Evangelical 34  30 

2.  Advent  Christians 912  610 

3.  Seventh-Day 386  1,494 

4.  Church  of  God 19  29 

5.  Life  and  Advent  Union 60  28 

6.  Churches  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ 94  95 


Total  Adventists i>SO5  2,286 

BAPTISTS: 

1.  Regular  (North) 7,535  9,295 

2.  Regular  (South) 12,560  19,669 

3.  Regular  (Colored) 9,856  14,786 

4.  Six-Principle 8  12 

5.  Seventh-Day 124  95 

6.  Free 1,436  1,522 

7.  Freewill 1 20  167 

8.  General 484  423 

9.  Separate 113  103 

10.  United 25  204 

11.  Baptist  Church  of  Christ 80  152 

12.  Primitive 2,130  3,530 

13.  Primitive  (Colored)  (i) 

14.  Old  Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit  Predestinarian.  300  473 

15.  Church  of  God  and  Saints  of  Christ  (Col.) 


Total  Baptists 34,77i  5°,43i 

BRETHREN  (DUNKARDS  OR  DUNKERS)  : 

1.  Conservative 2,612  850 

2.  Old  Order 140  80 

3.  Progressive 231  145 

4.  Seventh-Day  (German) 5  6 


Total  (Dunkard)  Brethren 2,988       1,081 

(i)  Not  reported 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


425 


FOR   1900  AND    1910 

CANTS   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES   ONLY 


Year  1900. 
States  Only. 

Communicants 


88,705 


Ministers. 


For  the  Year  IQIO. 
In  the  United  States  Only. 
Churches. 


1,153 


2,488 


Communicants. 


1,147 

cS 

ci8 

^481 

26,500 

'528 

'550 

c  26,799 

54,539 

517 

1,826 

65,122 

647 

C$2 

c  20 

c  611 

3,000 

C  12 

C  12 

C509 

2,872 

'56 

C62 

c  2,124 

95,646 


999,657 

8,198 

9,704 

1,210,713 

1,638,985 

H,533 

22,726 

2,283,066 

1,594,584 

12,637 

17,323 

1,790,165 

828 

10 

16 

73i 

9,095 

98 

82 

8,119 

86,535 

1,186 

1,112 

70,880 

12,000 

604 

623 

40,578 

24,775 

550 

545 

33,6oo 

6,479 

C  IOO 

C76 

c  5,180 

13,209 

c  260 

c  196 

c  13,698 

8,254 

C99 

'93 

c  6,416 

126,000 

c  1,500 

c  2,922 

c  102,311 



c  1,480 

c  797 

'35,076 

12,851 

'35 

'55 

c  781 



'75 

£48 

'  1,823 

4,533,252 


41,365 


56,318 


5,603,137 


3,006 

228 

186 
9 


112,194  3,429 

separately  in  1890.       c  Census  of  1906. 


880 

75 
219 

14 


1,188 


100,000 

4,000 

18,607 

240 

122,847 


426     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  I. — MINISTERS,  CHURCHES,  AND  COMMUNI 

For  the 

In  the  United 

DENOMINATIONS.  Ministers.     Churches. 

BRETHREN  (PLYMOUTH)  : 

1.  Brethren  (I.) ....  109 

2.  Brethren  (II.) 88 

3.  Brethren  (III.) 86 

4.  Brethren  (IV.) 31 

Total  (Plymouth)  Brethren 314 

BRETHREN  (RIVER): 

1.  Brethren  in  Christ 152  78 

2.  Old  Order,  or  Yorker 7  8 

3.  United  Zion's  Children 20  25 


Total  (River)  Brethren 179  m 

BUDDHISTS: 

1.  Chinese  Temples 47 

2.  Japanese  Temples  (i) ....  .... 


Total  Buddhists 47 

CATHOLIC  APOSTOLIC: 

1.  Catholic  Apostolic 95  10 

2.  New  Apostolic ....  .... 


Total  Catholic  Apostolic 95  10 

CATHOLICS,  EASTERN  ORTHODOX: 

1.  Armenian  Apostolic 15  21 

2.  Russian  Orthodox 40  31 

3.  Greek  Orthodox 5  5 

4.  Syrian  Orthodox  (2) ....  .... 

5.  Servian  Orthodox  (2) ....         

6.  Roumanian  Orthodox  (2) ....  .... 

7.  Bulgarian  Orthodox  (2) ....  .... 

Total  Eastern  Orthodox 60  57 

(i)  Not  in  existence  in  1890.    Most  of  the  temples  in  California. 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES, 


427 


CANTS    IN   THE    UNITED    STATES   ONLY. — Continued. 


Year  1900. 
States  Only. 
Communicants. 

2,289 
2,419 

1,235 
7l8 

Ministers. 

For  the  Year  1910. 
In  the  United  States  Only. 
Churches. 

£134 

c  128 
cSi 
c  60 

Communican 

c  2,933 
c  4,752 
c  1,724 

6,661 

4,000 
214 

525 

174 

€24 

C  22 

403 
65 

c  28 

10,566 

3,675 

£423 
^749 

4,739 
1,491 

220 

C  I 
CI4 

15 

102 

C62 

C  12 

74 

C  II 

4,847 

c  3,165 
3,165 

c  2,907 
c  2,020 

1,491 

8,500 
40,000 
5,ooo 

33 

14 
no 

7i 

21 

9 
5 
3 

233 

y  immigration. 

24 

21 
121 
62 

18 

IO 

5 
3 

240 

c  Census  of  1906. 

4,927 

50,000 
60,000 
160,000 
40,000 
35,000 

20,000 
20,000 

53,5oo 

(2)  Introduced  in  recent  years  b 

385,000 

428     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  I. — MINISTERS,  CHURCHES,  AND  COMMUNI 

For  the 

In  the  United 

DENOMINATIONS.  Ministers.     Churches. 

CATHOLICS,  WESTERN: 

1.  Roman  Catholic 11,848  12,263 

2.  Polish  National  Catholic 19  18 

3.  Reformed  Catholic 6  6 

4.  Old  Catholic  (i) 3  5 

Total  Western  Catholics 11,876     12,292 

CHRISTADELPHIANS ....  63 

CHRISTIANS  (2) 1,151  1,517 

CHRISTIAN  CATHOLIC  (DOWIE) 55  50 

CHRISTIAN  MISSIONARY  ASSOCIATION  (i) 10  13 

CHRISTIAN  SCIENTISTS 940  470 

CHRISTIAN  UNION 183  294 

CHURCHES  OF  GOD  (WINNEBRENNERIAN) 460  580 

CHURCHES  OF  THE  LIVING  GOD  (COLORED)  (3): 

1.  Christian  Workers  for  Friendship ....         .... 

2.  Apostolic ....         .... 

3.  Church  of  Christ  in  God 


Total  Churches  of  the  Living  God 


CHURCHES  OF  THE  NEW  JERUSALEM: 

1.  General  Convention 143  173 

2.  General  Church  (4) ....  .... 

Total  New  Jerusalem  Churches 143  173 

COMMUNISTIC  SOCIETIES: 

1 .  Shakers ....  15 

2.  Amana ....  7 

3.  Harmony  (i) ....  i 

4.  Separatists  (i) ....  i 

5.  Altruists  (i) i 

6.  Church  Triumphant(KoreshanEcclesia)(i)         5 

7.  Christian  Commonwealth  (i) . . . . ....  i 


Total  Communists ....  31 

(i)  Dissolved.         (2)  Formerly  reported  in  two  branches. 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


429 


CANTS  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES   ONLY. — Continued. 


Year  1000. 

For  the  Year  1910. 

States  Only. 

In  the  United  States  Only. 

Communicants. 

Ministers. 

Churches.             C 

bmmunican 

8,690,658 

17,084 

13,461              12 

,425,947 

2O,OOO 

C24 

c  24 

c  15,473 

1,500 

7 

6 

2,100 

8,712,583 

I7,H5 

13,491                12 

,443,520 

1,277 

.... 

070 

c  1,412 

109,278 

993 

1,329 

87,478 

4O,OOO 

C35 

c  17 

c  5,865 

754 

48,930 

2,208 

I,IO4 

85,096 

18,214 

^295 

C237 

c  13,905 

38,000 

509 

595 

41,475 

c  51 

C  44 

c  2,676 

c  so 

*T*T 

V      .*;  \S  f  W 

c  752 

V  ^J>^ 

c  20 

C  Q 

£858 

V 

«p     *_/  jv-r 

IOI 

68 

4,286 

7,679 

109 

138 

8,500 

23 

14 

8l4 

7,679 

132 

152 

9,3H 

1,650 

ci3 

*5i6 

i,  600 

.... 

c  7 

c  1,756 

250 



.... 

.... 

200 

.... 

.... 

.... 

25 

.... 

.... 

205 

.... 

.... 

.... 

80 







4,010  22  2,272 

(3)  Organized  since  1899.     (4)  Organized  in  1897,  as  result  of  division.        c  Census  of  1906. 


430     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  I. — MINISTERS,  CHURCHES,  AND  COMMUNI 

For  the 

In  the  United 

DENOMINATIONS.  Ministers.     Churches. 

CONGREGATIONALISTS 5,625       5,624 

DISCIPLES  OF  CHRIST: 

1.  Disciples  of  Christ 6,348     10,528 

2.  Churches  of  Christ  (i) 


Total  Disciples  of  Christ '  6,348  10,528 

EVANGELICAL  BODIES: 

1.  Evangelical  Association 877  1,617 

2.  United  Evangelical  Church 478  985 


Total  Evangelical  bodies ij355  2,602 

FAITH  ASSOCIATIONS:  (2) 

1.  Apostolic  Faith  Movement ....         

2.  Peniel  Missions ....  .... 

3.  Metropolitan  Church  Association ....         

4.  Hepzibah  Faith  Association .... 

5.  Missionary  Church  Association ....  .... 

6.  Heavenly  Recruit  Church ....          

7.  Apostolic  Christian  Church .... 

8.  Christian  Congregation .... 

9.  Voluntary  Missionary  Society  (Colored) 


Total  Faith  Associations 

FREE  CHRISTIAN  ZION  CHURCH  (COLORED)  (3),        

FRIENDS: 

1.  Orthodox 1,279          830 

2.  "Hicksite" 115          201 

3.  "Wilburite" 38            53 

4.  Primitive n              9 


Total  Friends 1,443        I  >°93 

(i)  Not  reported  separately  in  i8go  or  1000.    A  division.        (2)  All  reported  since  1900. 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


43 1 


CANTS   IN   THE   UNITED   STATES   ONLY. — Continued. 


Year  1900. 
States  Only. 

Communicants. 


For  the  Year  1910. 
In  the  United  States  Only. 
Ministers.  Churches.  Communicants. 


631,360 

6,045 

6,050 

735,400 

1,149,982 

5,970 
c  2,100 

10,830 

2,640 

1,308,116 
c  i  ^6,6^8 

1,149,982 

8,070 

13,479 

1,464,774 

96,345 
6o,993 

980 
509 

1,657 

997 

108,666 
73,399 

157,338 

1,489 

2,654 

182,065 

c6 

'538 



'30 
c  29 
£36 
'35 

C  II 

c6 

C  10 

'32 

'703 
c  466 

'293 
'  1,256 



'55 
c  26 

C27 

€42 

'9 

'4,558 
'395 



C  II 

'3 

'425 

241 


C  20 


146 


9,572 


1,835 


92,468 

21,992 

4,468 

232 


1,302 

97 


c  10 


830 

211 

£48 

cS 


100,072 
19,595 

c  3,880 
c  171 


119,160  1,456  1,097  123,718 

(3)  Organized  in  1895  by  withdrawals  from  Methodist  and  Baptist  bodies.       c  Census  of  1906. 


432     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  I. — MINISTERS,  CHURCHES,  AND  COMMUNI 


DENOMINATIONS. 


For  the 

In  the  United 

Ministers.     Churches. 


FRIENDS  OF  THE  TEMPLE 4  4 

GERMAN  EVANGELICAL  PROTESTANT 45  55 

GERMAN  EVANGELICAL  SYNOD 909  1,129 

JEWISH  CONGREGATIONS  (i) 301  570 

LATTER-DAY  SAINTS: 

1 .  Utah  Branch 700  796 

2.  Reorganized 1,200  600 

Total  Latter-Day  Saints 1,900  1,396 

LUTHERANS: 

1.  General  Synod 1,216  1,576 

2.  United  Synod,  South 214  390 

3.  General  Council 1,205  1,882 

4.  Synodical  Conference 2,029  2,650 

5.  United  Norwegian 361  1,121 

Independent  Synods. 

6.  Ohio 457  604 

7.  Buffalo 26  36 

8.  Hauge's 95  212 

9.  Eielsen's 9  52 

10.  Texas n  14 

11.  Iowa 433  824 

12.  Norwegian 252  739 

13.  Michigan  (3) . .  % 53  78 

14.  Danish  in  America 47  66 

15.  Icelandic 8  26 

16.  Immanuel 45  50 

17.  Suomai  (Finnish) 11  46 

18.  Finnish  Apostolic  (4) 

19.  Finnish  National  (4) 

20.  Norwegian  Free 112  300 

21.  Danish  United 88  150 

22.  Slovakian  (4) 

23.  Church  of  the  Lutheran  Brethren  (4) 

24.  Jehovah 6  6 

Independent  Congregations 85  200 

Total  Lutherans 6,763  11,022 

(i)  Reported  in  1890  in  two  branches.        (2)  Including  only  heads  of  families. 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


433 


CANTS  IN  THE   UNITED   STATES   ONLY. — Continued. 


Year  1900. 
States  Only. 

Communicants. 


Ministers. 


For  the  Year  igio. 
In  the  United  States  Only. 

Churches.  Communicants. 


340 

£3 

C  2 

£376 

36,5oo 

^59 

c  66 

c  34,704 

203,574 

1,024 

1,314 

236,615 

143,000  (2) 

c  1,084 

c  1,769 

143,000(2) 

300,000 

1,223 

780 

350,000 

43,824 

1,260 

570 

50,650 

343,824 

2,483 

1,350 

400,650 

199,589 

i,333 

1,785 

302,440 

38,639 

248 

468 

48,921 

356,401 

2,298 

459,224 

581,029 

2,713 

3,356 

766,281 

130,000 

550 

1,464 

161,964 

77,362 

585 

784 

127,430 

5,ooo 

28 

42 

5,200 

12,540 

150 

347 

36,357 

2,800 

6 

26 

1,130 

1,700 

21 

32 

2,800 

74,058 

527 

940 

106,593 

66,927 

382 

1,000 

100,000 

10,000 

"58 

119 

13,052 

5,559 

13 

39 

4,700 

6,118 

12 

6 

2,500 

1  1  048 

2  2 

I7O 

17,500 

62 

/ 

7* 

11,000 

20 

/  3 

4.0 

6,000 

38,000 

i75 

JfW 

375 

20,000 

8,500 

114 

176 

11,994 

17 

•2Q 

9,500 

12 

16 

7)  J^** 

i,  800 

350 

9 

ii 

1,100 

25,000 

85 

205 

26,000 

1,660,167 

8,659 

13,802 

2,243,486 

(3)  Dissolved.         (4)  Organized  since  1000.        c  Census  of  1906. 


434     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

TABLE  I. — MINISTERS,  CHURCHES,  AND  COMMUNI 


For  the 

DENOMINATIONS. 

In  the  United 

SCANDINAVIAN  EVANGELICAL  BODIES: 

Ministers. 

Churches. 

i.  Swedish  Evangelical  Mission  Covenant  (i) 

265 

270 

2.  Swedish  Evangelical  Free  Mission  

3.  Norwegian  Evangelical  Free  

Total  Scandinavian  Evangelical  bodies 

265 

270 

MENNONITES: 

i.  Mennonite  

418 

288 

2.  Bruederhoef  

9 

5 

3.  Amish  

265 

124 

4.  Old  Amish  

75 

25 

5.  Apostolic  (2)  

2 

2 

6.  Reformed  

43 

34 

7.  General  Conference  

128 

76 

8.  Church  of  God  in  Christ  

18 

18 

9.  Old  (Wisler)  

17 

15 

10.  Bundes  Conference  

4i 

16 

ii.  Defenceless  

20 

ii 

12.  Brethren  in  Christ  

76 

59 

Separate  Conferences  (two)  

Total  Mennonites  

1,112 

673 

METHODIST: 

i.  Methodist  Episcopal  

16,791 

26,232 

2.  Union  American  Methodist  Episcopal  .... 

125 

155 

3.  African  Methodist  Episcopal  

5,852 

5,630 

4.  African  Union  Methodist  Protestant  

106 

88 

5.  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion  

3,i55 

1,906 

6.  Methodist  Protestant  

1,629 

2,394 

7.  Wesleyan  Methodist  

595 

506 

8.  Methodist  Episcopal,  South  

5,989 

14,212 

9.  Congregational  Methodist  

325 

330 

10.  Congregational  Methodist  (Colored)  (2)... 

5 

5 

ii.  New  Congregational  Methodist  

192 

366 

12.  Zion  Union  Apostolic  

30 

27 

13.  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal  

2,061 

i,433 

14.  Primitive  

74 

90 

15-  Free  

922 

944 

16.  Reformed  Methodist  Union  Episcopal  (3)  . 

17.  Independent  Methodist  

8 

14 

18.  Evangelist  Missionary  (2)  

48 

13 

Total  Methodists  

37,907 

54,345 

(i)  Not  reported  in  1890.        (2)  Dissolved.        (3)  Result  of  secession  in  the 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


435 


CANTS    IN   THE   UNITED   STATES   ONLY. — Continued. 


Year  1900. 
States  Only. 

Communicants. 

30,000 


30,000 


Ministers. 


For  the  Year  19 10. 
In  the  United  States  Only. 

Churches.  Communicants. 

4O,OOO 
l8,000 

4,000 


62,000 


22,443 

C346 

C  220 

c  18,674 

352 

eg 

c8 

£275 

13,051 

c*3* 

£57 

c  7,640 

2,438 

c  141 

^46 

c  5,043 

200 

;7 

i,  680 

C34 

£34 

c  2,079 

io,395 

c  143 

C90 

c  11,661 

47i 

ci7 

c  18 

c  562 

610 

ci8 

eg 

^655 

2,950 

£36 

c  19 

c  2,533 

1,176 

C26 

c  14 

^967 

2,953 

^70 

c68 

c  2,801 

£35 

C  21 

c  1,908 

58,728 

i,  006 

604 

54,798 

2,746,191 

18,280 

28,436 

3,186,862 

i5,5oo 

138 

255 

18,500 

675,462 

6,353 

5,527 

500,000 

3,563 

200 

125 

4,000 

536,271 

3,488 

3,298 

547,2i6 

183,714 

i,393 

2,432 

188,437 

17,201 

598 

571 

19,178 

1,468,390 

6,611 

16,332 

1,851,149 

20,000 

337 

333 

15,529 

•2IQ 

o  *V 

4,000 

^59 

^35 

c  1,782 

2,346 

^33 

^45 

c  3,059 

204,972 

2,901 

2,857 

234,721 

6,549 

74 

101 

7,346 

27,292 

1,119 

1,163 

32,112 

C  4.O 

c  q8 

c  4,000 

2,569 

•*   ^Tw 

2 

*x   ji*j 

2 

V     t|.,NSW 

1,161 

2,010 

.... 

5,916,349      41,626      61,570    6,615,052 

South  from  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  1885.       c  Census  of  1906. 


436     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  I. — MINISTERS,  CHURCHES,  AND  COMMUNI 

For  the 

In  the  United 

DENOMINATIONS.  Ministers.     Churches. 

MORAVIAN  BODIES: 

1.  Moravian 117           122 

2.  Union  Bohemians  and  Moravians  (i)  ....  . . . .          . . . . 

Total  Moravian  Bodies 117           122 

NON-SECTARIAN  BIBLE  FAITH  CHURCHES  (2) 

PENTECOSTAL  BODIES: 

1.  Pentecostal  Church  (3) 

2.  Other  Pentecostal  Associations ....          .... 

Total  Pentecostal  Bodies ~.         T77! 

PRESBYTERIANS: 

1.  Northern 7,170       7,459 

2.  Cumberland  (4) 1,596        2,957 

3.  Cumberland  (Colored) 450          400 

4.  Welsh  Calvinistic 89           158 

5.  United 918          911 

6.  Southern 1,461        2,959 

7.  Associate 12            31 

8.  Associate  Reformed,  South 104          131 

9.  Reformed  (Synod) 124          113 

10.  Reformed  (General  Synod) 33            36 

11.  Reformed  (Covenanted) i               i 

12.  Reformed  in  U.  S.  and  Canada i  i 

Total  Presbyterians n>959      i5»iS7 

PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL: 

1.  Protestant  Episcopal 4,811        6,421 

2.  Reformed  Episcopal 100            78 

Total  Protestant  Episcopal 4,911       6,499 

REFORMED: 

1.  Reformed  (Dutch) 690          619 

2.  Reformed  (German) 1*074        1,653 

3.  Christian  Reformed 96           145 

4.  Hungarian  Reformed  (5) 

Total  Reformed 1,860       2,417. 

(i)  Organized  in  Texas  in  1003  by  immigrants.  (2)  Not  reported  in  1800. 
(3)  Outcome  of  union  of  various  Holiness  associations  at  close  of  last  century. 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


437 


CANTS   IN   THE   UNITED    STATES   ONLY. — Continued. 


Year  1000. 
States  Only. 
Cornmunic&nts. 

For  the  Year  igio. 
In  the  United  States  Only. 
Ministers.                      Churches.              Communicants. 

14,817 

133 

121 

17,940 

14,817 

136 

18,711 



cso 

c  204 

c  6,396 

— 

700 

c  115 

428 

C30 

20,000 
c  1,420 

815 

458 

21,420 

983,433 
180,192 
30,000 
12,152 

8,980 
917 

C375 

9,926 
1,570 
c  196 

148 

1,328,714 
115,000 

c  18,066 

13,759 

115,901 
225,890 
1,053 

n,344 
9,790 

1,012 
1,694 
C  12 

106 

136 

990 
3,324 

C  22 
142 

"5 

135,010 
281,920 
C786 
14,017 
9,455 

5,000 

17 

19 

3,400 

37 
608 

2 

I 
3 

40 
598 

1,575,400 

13,342 

16,456 

1,920,765 

710,356 
9,282 

5,286 

94 

7,572 
80 

928,780 
9,610 

719,638 

5,38o 

7,652 

938,390 

107,594 
242,831 
18,096 

728 
1,226 
138 
c  18 

684 
''189 

116,815 
297,116 
29,006 
c  5,253 

368,521 


2,110 


2,6l9 


448,190 


(4)  Losses  due  to  union  in  1006  with  Northern  Presbyterian  Church. 

(5)  Organized  in  1904  by  immigrants  from  Hungary.        c  Census  of  1006. 


438     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  I. — MINISTERS,  CHURCHES,  AND  COMMUNI 

For  the 

In  the  United 

DENOMINATIONS.  Ministers.     Churches. 

SALVATIONISTS: 

1.  Salvation  Army 2,361          663 

2.  American  Salvation  Army  (i) ....          .... 

Total  Salvationists 2,361  663 

SCHWENKFELDERS 3  4 

SOCIAL  BRETHREN 17  20 

SOCIETY  FOR  ETHICAL  CULTURE 5 

SPIRITUALISTS 334 

THEOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY 122 

UNITARIANS 544  453 

UNITED  BRETHREN: 

1.  United  Brethren 1)833       4,166 

2.  United  Brethren  (Old  Constitution) 619          786 

Total  United  Brethren 2,452       4,952 

UNIVERSALISTS 730          770 

INDEPENDENT  CONGREGATIONS 54          156 

GRAND  TOTAL 143,401    190,805 


TABLE  II.— 

For  the 

In  the  United 

DENOMINATIONS.  Ministers. 

Adventists  (6  bodies) 1,505 

Baptists  (15  bodies  in  1910) 34,77* 

Brethren  (Dunkards)  (4  bodies) 2,988 

Brethren  (Plymouth)  (4  bodies) .... 

Brethren  (River)  (3  bodies) 179 

Buddhists  (2  bodies  in  1910) .... 

Catholic  Apostolic  (2  bodies  in  1910) % 95 

Catholic,  Eastern  Orthodox  (7  bodies  in  1910) 60 

Catholic,  Western  (3  bodies  in  1910) 11,876 

Christadelphians .... 

Christians 1,151 

Christian  Catholic  (Dowie) 55 

(i)  Not  reported  in  1890. 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


439 


CANTS   IN    THE    UNITED    STATES    ONLY. Continued. 


Year  1900. 
States  Only. 


Communicants. 


Ministers. 


For  the  Year  1910. 
In  the  United  States  Only. 
Churches. 


Communicants, 


19,490 

3 

,137 

896 

25,839 

f_59 

C  20 

£436 

19,490 

3 

,196 

916 

26,275 

306 

6 

8 

850 

913 

as 

ci7 

c  1,262 

1,300 

7 

6 

2,450 

45,030 

1,000 

150,000 

3,000 

114 

3,100 

71,000 

'558 

482 

70,542 

239,639 

I 

,890 

3,721 

283,682 

26,296 

303 

545 

19,637 

265,935 

2 

,193 

4,266 

303,319 

52,739 

730 

881 

52,150 

14,126 

267 

879 

48,673 

27,383,804 

170,499 

218,507 

35,145,296 

SUMMARY. 

Year  1900. 

For  the  Year 

1910. 

States  Only. 

In  the  United  States  Only. 

Churches.          Communicants. 

Ministers. 

Churches. 

Communicants 

2,286 

88,705 

1,153 

2,488 

95,646 

50,431 

4,533,252 

41,365 

56,318 

5,603,137 

1,081 

112,194 

3,429 

1,188 

122,847 

314 

6,661 

403 

10,566 

III 

4,739 

2  2O 

IO2 

4,847 

47 

15 

74 

3,165 

10 

1,491 

33 

24 

4,927 

57 

53,5oo 

233 

240 

385,000 

12,292 

8,712,583 

I7,H5 

I3,49i 

12,443,520 

63 

1,277 

cjo 

c  1,412 

i,5i7 

109,278 

993 

1,329 

87,478 

50 

40,000 

35 

17 

5,865 

c  Census  of  1006. 

440     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  II.— 

For  the 

In  the  United 

DENOMINATIONS.  Ministers. 

Christian  Missionary  Association 10 

Christian  Scientists 940 

Christian  Union 183 

Church  of  God  (Winnebrennerian) 460 

Churches  of  the  Living  God  (3  bodies) 

Churches  of  the  New  Jerusalem  (2  bodies  in  1910) ....  143 

Communistic  Societies  (2  bodies  in  1910) 

Congregationalists 5,625 

Disciples  of  Christ  (2  bodies  in  1910) 6,348 

Evangelical  bodies  (2  bodies) 1,355 

Faith  Associations  (9  bodies) .... 

Free  Christian  Zion  Church 

Friends  (4  bodies) 1,443 

Friends  of  the  Temple 4 

German  Evangelical  Protestant 45 

German  Evangelical  Synod 909 

Jewish  Congregations 301 

Latter-Day  Saints  (2  bodies) 1,900 

Lutherans  (24  bodies  in  1910) 6,763 

Scandinavian  Evangelical  (3  bodies  in  1910) 265 

Mennonites  (n  bodies  in  1910) 1,112 

Methodists  (17  bodies  in  1910) 37,907 

Moravians  (2  bodies  in  1910) 117 

Non-sectarian  Bible  Faith  Churches .... 

Pentecostal  bodies  (all  bodies) 

Presbyterians  (12  bodies) n,959 

Protestant  Episcopal  (2  bodies) 4,911 

Reformed  (4  bodies  in  1910) 1,860 

Salvationists  (2  bodies  in  1910) 2,361 

Schwenkfelders 3 

Social  Brethren 17 

Society  for  Ethical  Culture 

Spiritualists .... 

Theosophical  Society 

Unitarians 544 

United  Brethren  (2  bodies) 2,452 

Universalists 730 

Independent  Congregations 54 

Total 143,401 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


441 


SUMMARY. — Continued. 

Year  1900. 
States  Only. 

Churches.          Communicants. 


For  the  Year  1910. 

In  the  United  States  Only. 

Ministers.  Churches.  Communicants. 


13 

754 

.... 

470 

48,930 

2,208 

1,104 

85,096 

294 

18,214 

295 

237 

13,905 

580 

38,000 

509 

595 

4i,475 

.... 

IOI 

68 

4,286 

173 

7,679 

132 

152 

9,3H 

31 

4,010 

.... 

22 

2,272 

5,624 

631,360 

6,045 

6,050 

735,400 

10,528 

1,149,982 

8,070 

13,479 

1,464,774 

2,602 

157,338 

1,489 

2,654 

182,065 

241 

146 

9,572 

.... 

.... 

20 

15 

i,835 

1,093 

119,160 

1,456 

1,097 

123,718 

4 

340 

3 

2 

376 

55 

36,500 

59 

66 

34,704 

1,219 

203,574 

1,024 

1,3*4 

236,615 

570 

143,000 

1,084 

1,769 

143,000 

i,396 

343,824 

2,483 

i,350 

400,650 

11,022 

1,660,167 

8,659 

13,802 

2,243,486 

270 

30,000 

593 

573 

62,000 

673 

58,728 

i,  006 

604 

54,798 

54,345 

5,916,349 

41,626 

6i,570 

6,615,052 

122 

14,817 

136 

136 

18,711 

.... 

So 

204 

6,396 

.... 

8i5 

458 

21,420 

15,157 

1,575,400 

13,342 

16,456 

1,920,765 

6,499 

719,638 

5,38o 

7,652 

938,390 

2,417 

368,521 

2,110 

2,619 

448,190 

663 

19,490 

3,J96 

916 

26,275 

4 

306 

6 

8 

850 

20 

913 

15 

17 

1,262 

5 

1,300 

7 

6 

2,450 

334 

45,030 

.... 

1,000 

150,000 

122 

3,000 

114 

3,100 

453 

71,000 

'558 

482 

70,542 

4,952 

265,935 

2,193 

4,266 

303,319 

770 

52,739 

730 

881 

52,150 

156 

14,126 

267 

879 

48,673 

100,805      27,383,804      170,499      218,507      35,245,296 


442     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  III. — ORDER  OF  ALL  DENOMINATIONS  ACCORDING 
TO  NUMBER  OF  COMMUNICANTS,  1910. 


DENOMINATIONS. 


Communicants. 

1.  Roman  Catholic 12,425,947 

2.  Methodist  Episcopal 3,186,862 

3.  Southern  Baptist 2,283,066 

4.  Methodist  Episcopal,  South 1,851,149 

5.  Colored  Baptist 1,790,165 

6.  Northern  Presbyterian 1,328,714 

7.  Disciples  of  Christ 1,308,116 

8.  Northern  Baptists 1,210,713 

9.  Protestant  Episcopal 928,780 

10.  Lutheran  Synodical  Conference 766,281 

11.  Congregational 735,4oo 

12.  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion 547, 216 

13.  African  Methodist  Episcopal 500,000 

14.  Lutheran  General  Council 459,224 

15.  Latter-Day  Saints,  Utah 350,000 

16.  Lutheran  General  Synod 302,440 

17.  Reformed  (German) 297,116 

18.  United  Brethren. 283,682 

19.  Southern  Presbyterian 281,920 

20.  German  Evangelical  Synod 236,615 

21.  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal 234,721 

22.  Methodist  Protestant 188,437 

23.  Lutheran  United  Norwegian 161,964 

24.  Greek  Orthodox 160,000 

25.  Churches  of  Christ,  Disciple 156,658 

26.  Spiritualist 150,000 

27.  Jewish 143,000 

28.  United  Presybterian 135,010 

29.  Lutheran  Synod  of  Ohio 127,430 

30.  Reformed  (Dutch) -. 116,815 

31.  Cumberland  Presbyterian 115,000 

32.  Evangelical  Association 108,666 

33.  Lutheran  Synod  of  Iowa 106,593 

34.  Primitive  Baptist 102,311 

35.  Orthodox  Friends 100,072 

36.  Conservative  Brethren,  Dunkard 100,000 

37.  Lutheran  Norwegian 100,000 

38.  Christian 87,478 

39.  Christian  Science 85,096 

40.  United  Evangelical 73,399 

41.  Free  Baptist 70,880 

42.  Unitarian , , 70,542 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES.  443 

TABLE  III. — ORDER  OF  ALL  DENOMINATIONS  ACCORDING  TO 
NUMBER   OF   COMMUNICANTS,  1910. — Continued,. 

DENOMINATIONS.  Communicants. 

43.  Seventh-Day  Adventist 65,122 

44.  Russian  Orthodox 60,000 

45.  Universalist 52,150 

46.  Latter-Day  Saints,  Reorganized 50,650 

47.  Armenian  Apostolic 50,000 

48.  Lutheran  United  Synod,  South 48,921 

49.  Church  of  God  (Winnebrennerian) 41, 47  5 

50.  Freewill  Baptist 40,578 

51.  Syrian  Orthodox 40,000 

52.  Swedish  Evangelical  Mission  Covenant 40,000 

53.  Lutheran  Hauge's  Synod 36,357 

54.  Primitive  Baptist,  Colored 35,076 

55.  Servian  Orthodox 35>ooo 

56.  German  Evangelical  Protestant 34,704 

57.  General  Baptist 33, 600 

58.  Free  Methodist 32,112 

59.  Christian  Reformed 29,006 

60.  Advent  Christian 26,799 

61.  Salvation  Army 25,839 

62.  Roumanian  Orthodox 20,000 

63.  Bulgarian  Orthodox 20,000 

64.  Pentecostal  Church 20,000 

65.  Lutheran  Norwegian  Free 20,000 

66.  United  Brethren  (0.  C.) 19,637 

67.  Hicksite  Friends I9,595 

68.  Wesleyan  Methodist 19,178 

69.  Mennonite 18,674 

70.  Progressive  Brethren,  Dunkard 18,607 

71.  Union  American  Methodist  Episcopal 18,500 

72.  Cumberland  Presbyterian  (Colored) 18,066 

73.  Swedish  Evangelical  Free  Mission 18,000 

74.  Moravian 17,940 

75.  Lutheran  Suomai  Synod *7,5oo 

76.  Congregational  Methodist J5,529 

77.  Polish  National  Catholic *5>473 

78.  Associate  Reformed  Synod,  South 14,017 

79.  Christian  Union 13,905 

80.  Welsh  Calvinistic  Presbyterian 13,759 

81.  United  Baptist 13,698 

82.  Lutheran  Danish  in  America 13,052 

83.  Lutheran  Danish  United n>994 

84.  General  Conference,  Mennonite 11,661 

85.  Lutheran  Finnish  Apostolic 11,000 


444     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

TABLE  III. — ORDER  OF  ALL  DENOMINATIONS  ACCORDING  TO 
NUMBER  OF  COMMUNICANTS,  1910. — Continued. 

DENOMINATIONS.  Communicants. 

86.  Reformed  Episcopal 9,610 

87.  Lutheran  Slovakian  Synod 9,500 

88.  Reformed  Presbyterian  (Synod) 9,455 

89.  General  Convention,  New  Jerusalem 8,500 

90.  Seventh-Day  Baptist 8,119 

91.  Amish,  Mennonite 7,640 

92.  Primitive  Methodist 7,346 

93.  Baptist  Church  of  Christ 6,416 

94.  Non-sectarian  Bible  Faith 6,396 

95.  Lutheran  Finnish  National  Synod 6,000 

96.  Christian  Catholic  (Dowie) 5,865 

97.  Hungarian  Reformed 5,253 

98.  Lutheran  Buffalo  Synod 5,200 

99.  Separate  Baptist 5,i8o 

100.  Old  Amish,  Mennonite 5,043 

101.  Plymouth  Brethren  II 4,752 

102.  Lutheran  Icelandic  Synod 4,700 

103.  Apostolic  Christian,  Faith 4,55^ 

104.  Norwegian  Evangelical  Free 4,000 

105.  Old  Order  Brethren,  Dunkard 4,000 

106.  Reformed  Methodist  Union  Episcopal 4,000 

107.  African  Union  Methodist  Protestant 4,000 

108.  Wilburite  Friends 3,880 

109.  Brethren  in  Christ  (River) 3,675 

no.  Reformed  Presbyterian  (General  Synod) 3,400 

in.  Japanese  Buddhists 3,165 

112.  Theosophists 3,ioo 

113.  Zion  Union  Apostolic,  Methodist 3,059 

114.  Plymouth  Brethren  I 2,933 

115.  Catholic  Apostolic 2,907 

116.  Brethren  in  Christ,  Mennonite 2,801 

117.  Lutheran  Texas  Synod 2,800 

118.  Christian  Workers  for  Friendship 2,676 

119.  Bundes  Conference,  Mennonite 2,533 

120.  Lutheran  Immanuel  Synod 2,500 

121.  Ethical  Culture  Society 2,450 

122.  Churches  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ,  Adventist 2,124 

123.  Reformed  Catholic 2,100 

124.  Reformed  Mennonite 2,079 

1 25.  New  Apostolic 2,020 

126.  Free  Christian  Zion  Church  (Colored) 1,835 

127.  Church  of  God  and  Saints  of  Christ  (Colored). . .  1,823 

128.  Lutheran  Brethren 1,800 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES,  445 

'  TABLE  III.— ORDER  OF  ALL  DENOMINATIONS  ACCORDING  TO 
NUMBER  OF  COMMUNICANTS,  1910. — Continued. 

DENOMINATIONS.  Communicants. 

129.  New  Congregational  Methodist ,782 

130.  Amana  Society ,756 

131.  Plymouth  Brethren  III ,724 

132.  Christadelphian *. ,412 

133.  Social  Brethren ,262 

134.  Missionary  Church  Association,  Faith ,256 

135.  Independent  Methodist ,161 

136.  Plymouth  Brethren  IV ,157 

137.  Lutheran  Eielsen's  §ynod 1,130 

138.  Lutheran  Jehovah  Synod 1,100 

139.  Defenceless  Mennonites 967 

140.  Heavenly  Recruit 938 

141.  Church  of  Christ  in  God  (Colored) 858 

142.  Schwenkf elders 850 

143.  General  Church,  New  Jerusalem 814 

144.  Associate  Presbyterian 786 

145.  Old  Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit  Baptist 781 

146.  Bohemian  and  Moravian  Brethren 771 

147.  Apostolic,  Living  God 752 

148.  United  Zion's  Children  (River) 749 

149.  Six-Principle  Baptist 731 

1 50.  Peniel  Missions,  Faith 703 

151.  Old  Mennonites 655 

152.  Church  of  God,  Adventist 611 

153.  Reformed  Presbyterian  in  U.  S.  and  Canada 598 

154.  Church  of  God  in  Christ,  Mennonite 562 

1 55.  Apostolic,  Faith 538 

156.  Shaker 516 

157.  Life  and  Advent  Union,  Adventist 509 

158.  Evangelical  Adventist 481 

159.  Metropolitan  Church  Association,  Faith 466 

160.  American  Salvation  Army 436 

161.  Voluntary  Missionary  Association  (Colored) 425 

162.  Old  Order  or  Yorker  (River) 423 

163.  Christian  Congregation,  Faith 395 

164.  Friends  of  the  Temple 376 

165.  Hepzibah  Faith 293 

166.  Bruederhoef,  Mennonite,  Faith 275 

167.  Seventh-Day  German,  Dunkard 240 

168.  Primitive  Friends 171 

169.  Reformed  Presbyterian  Covenanted 40 

170.  Chinese  Buddhists 


446     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  IV.— NET 

Gains  in  Ten  Years 
DENOMINATIONS.  Ministers.     Churches. 

ADVENTISTS: 

1 .  Evangelical : 

2.  Advent  Christians 29  30 

3.  Seventh-Day 102         499 

4.  Church  of  God 

5.  Life  and  Advent  Union 10        .... 

6.  Churches  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ 


Total 141         529 

BAPTISTS: 

1.  Regular  (North) 850  1,388 

2.  Regular  (South) 3,603  3,431 

3.  Regular  (Colored) 4,388  2,253 

4.  Six-Principle d  6  d  6 

5.  Seventh-Day 9  Jn 

6.  Free d  57  d  64 

7.  Freewill 2  .... 

8.  General 152  24 

9.  Separate 94  79 

10.  United 

11.  Baptist  Church  of  Christ 

12.  Primitive 90         308 

13.  Primitive  (Colored) 

14.  Old  Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit  Predestinarian        

15.  Church    of    God    and    Saints    of    Christ 

(Colored) 


Total 9,125      7,402 

BRETHREN  (DUNKARDS  OR  DUNKERS): 

1.  Conservative 990         130 

2.  Old  Order d  97        d  55 

3.  Progressive 7  17 

4.  Seventh-Day  (German) 

Total 900  92 

d  Decrease. 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


447 


GAINS  IN  Two  DECADES. 


Ending  in  1900. 

Gains  in  Ten  Years  Ending  in  1910. 

Communicants. 

Ministers. 

Churches. 

Communica 

<*26 

dl2 

d666 

684 

^384 

d6o 

299 

25,548 

131 

332 

10,583 

.... 

13 

d  9 

d  36 

1,982 

d  48 

di6 

d  2,491 

28,214 

<*352 

202 

6,941 

199,207 

663 

409 

211,056 

358,919 

i,973 

3,057 

644,081 

245,595 

2,781 

2,537 

195,581 

d  109 

2 

4 

<*97 

^48 

d  26 

d  13 

^976 

d  1,363 

d  250 

d  15,655 

136 

484 

456 

28,578 

3,413 

66 

122 

8,825 

4,880 

d  13 

d  27 

d  1,299 

235 

dS 

489 

19 

d  59 

d  1,838 

4,653 

^630 

d  608 

d  23,689 

1,480 

797 

35,076 



d  12,070 



75 

48 

1,823 

815,283 

6,594 

5,8*7 

1,069,885 

33,899 

394 

30 

5,ooo 

£411 

88 

d  5 

.... 

4,911 

^45 

74 

5,607 

4 

8 

46 

38,399 

441 

107 

10,653 

448     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  IV.— NET  GAINS  IN 

Gains  in  Ten  Years 
DENOMINATIONS.  Ministers.     Churches. 

BRETHREN  (PLYMOUTH): 

1 .  Brethren  I 

2.  Brethren  II 

3.  Brethren  III 

4.  Brethren  IV 

Total 

BRETHREN  (RIVER): 

1.  Brethren  in  Christ 24 

2.  Old  Order  or  Yorker 

3.  United  Zion's  Children 


Total 24 


BUDDHISTS: 

1.  Chinese  Temples. . 

2.  Japanese  Temples. 


CATHOLIC  APOSTOLIC: 

1.  Catholic  Apostolic 

2.  New  Apostolic 


Total 

CATHOLICS,  EASTERN  ORTHODOX: 

1 .  Armenian  Apostolic 8  15 

2.  Russian  Orthodox 27  19 

3.  Greek  Orthodox 4  4 

4.  Syrian  Orthodox 

5.  Servian  Orthodox 

6.  Roumanian  Orthodox 

7.  Bulgarian  Orthodox 

Total 39  38 

d  Decrease. 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES.  449 


Two  DECADES. — Continued. 

Ending  in  1000.  Gains  in  Ten  Years  Ending  in  1910. 

Communicants.  Ministers.  Churches.  Communicants. 

644 

2,333 
489 

439 
3,905 


22  d  13  ^325 

17        I        209 

2  3  224 


dg  1 08 


i         15 
H         12         3,165 


15         27         3,165 


97        dSi          i         1,416 
19         13         2,020 


97        <*62         14         3,436 


8,165  di  41,500 

26,496  70  90  20,000 

4,900  66  57  155,000 

....  21  18  40,000 

....  9  10  35,ooo 

5  5  20,000 

3  3  20,000 


39,56i         173         183        33i,5oo 


450     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  IV.— NET  GAINS  IN 

Gains  in  Ten  Years 
DENOMINATIONS.  Ministers.      Churches. 

CATHOLICS,  WESTERN: 

1.  Roman  Catholic 2,682  2,018 

2.  Polish  National  Catholic 19  18 

3.  Reformed  Catholic d  2  d  2 

4.  Old  Catholic 2  _i 

Total , 2,701       2,035 

CHRISTADELPHIANS 

CHRISTIANS d  284  93 

CHRISTIAN  CATHOLIC  (DOWIE) 55  50 

CHRISTIAN  MISSIONARY  ASSOCIATION 

CHRISTIAN  SCIENTISTS 914         249 

CHRISTIAN  UNION 

CHURCHES  OF  GOD  (WINNEBRENNERIAN) d  62         101 

CHURCHES  OF  THE  LIVING  GOD  (COLORED): 

1.  Christian  Workers  for  Friendship 

2.  Apostolic 

3.  Church  of  Christ  in  God 

Total.. 


CHURCH  TRIUMPHANT  (SCHWEINFURTH) d  12 

CHURCHES  OF  THE  NEW  JERUSALEM: 

1.  General  Convention 24  19 

2.  General  Church 

Total 24  19 

COMMUNISTIC  SOCIETIES: 

1.  Shakers 

2.  Amana 

3.  Harmony 

4.  Separatists 

5.  New  Icaria d  i 

6.  Altruists 

7.  Adonai  Shomo d  i 

8.  Church  Triumphant  (Koreshan  Ecclesia) 

9.  Christian  Commonwealth i 

Total "7777          d  i 

d  Decrease. 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


451 


Two  DECADES. — Continued. 


Ending  in  1900. 

Gains  in  Ten  Years  Ending  in  1910. 

Communicants. 

Ministers. 

Churches. 

Communicac 

2,448,391 
2O,OOO 

5,236 
5 

1,198 

6 

3,735,289 

d  4,527 

500 

I 

600 

d  240 

d  3 

"ds 

^425 

2,468,651 

5,239 

1,199 

3,730,937 

.... 

.... 

7 

135 

5,556 

^158 

d  21,800 

40,000 

d  20 

d  33 

d  34,i35 

d  10 

d  13 

^754 

40,206 

1,268 

634 

36,166 

112 

d  57 

d  4,309 

15,489 

49 

15 

3,475 

.... 

SI 

44 

2,676 

.... 

30 

15 

752 

.... 

20 

9 

858 

.... 

IOI 

68 

4,286 

*3ft4 







584 

<*34 

<*35 

821 

23 

14 

814 

584 

*" 

d2l 

i,635 

^78 

d  1,134 

.... 

.... 

.... 

156 

.... 

.... 

dl 

d  250 



.... 

dl 

d  200 

d  21 

.... 

.... 





"di 

d  25 

d  20 

.... 

.... 

.... 

.... 

.... 

d  3 

d  205 

80 

.... 

di 

d  So 

<*39 

.... 

dg 

d  i,738 

452     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  IV.— NET  GAINS  IN 

Gains  in  Ten  Years 

DENOMINATIONS.  Ministers.     Churches. 

CONGREGATIONALISTS 567  756 

DISCIPLES  or  CHRIST: 

1.  Disciples  of  Christ 2,575       3>282 

2.  Churches  of  Christ. . 


Total 

FREE  CHRISTIAN  ZION  CHURCH  (COLORED) 


Total 2,575      3,282 

EVANGELICAL  BODIES: 

1.  Evangelical  Association d  358      d  693 

2.  United  Evangelical  Church 478         985 

Total 1 20          292 

FAITH  ASSOCIATIONS: 

1.  Apostolic  Faith  Movement 

2.  Peniel  Missions 

3.  Metropolitan  Church  Association 

4.  Hepzibah  Faith  Association 

5.  Missionary  Church  Association 

6.  Heavenly  Recruit  Church 

7.  Apostolic  Christian  Church 

8.  Christian  Congregation 

9.  Voluntary  Missionary  Society  (Colored) 


FRIENDS: 

1.  Orthodox 166  36 

2.  "Hicksite" 

3.  "Wilburite" i 

4.  Primitive 

Total 166  37 

FRIENDS  OF  THE  TEMPLE 

GERMAN  EVANGELICAL  PROTESTANT i  3 

d  Decrease. 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


453 


Two  DECADES.— Continued. 


Ending  in  1900. 

Gains  in  Ten  Years  Ending 

in  1910. 

Communicants. 

Ministers. 

Churches. 

Communica 

118,589 

42O 

426 

104,040 

508,931 

<*378 

302 

158,134 



2,100 

2,649 

156,658 

508,931 

1,722 

2,951 

314,792 

d  36,968 

103 

40 

12,321 

60,993 

31 

12 

12,406 

24,025 

134 

52 

24,727 

6 

538 

.... 

30 

ii 

703 

.... 

29 

6 

466 

.... 

36 

10 

293 

.... 

35 

32 

1,256 

.... 

55 

27 

938 

.... 

19 

42 

4,558 

.... 

26 

9 

395 

.... 

ii 

3 

425 

241 


146 


9,572 


20 


15 


1,835 


11,8*3 

139 

23 

10 

di 

7,604 
d  2,397 
^588 

n,952 

13 

4 

4,558 

344 

14 

d2 

ii 

36 
d  1,796 

454     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES, 


TABLE  IV.— NET  GAINS  IN 

Gains  in  Ten  Years 
DENOMINATIONS.  Ministers.      Churches. 

GERMAN  EVANGELICAL  SYNOD „         229         259 

JEWISH  CONGREGATIONS 101  37 

LATTER-DAY  SAINTS: 

1.  Utah  branch 157         371 

2.  Reorganized  branch d  300          169 

Total d  143         540 

LUTHERANS: 

1.  General  Synod 250  152 

2.  United  Synod,  South 13  d  24 

3.  General  Council 52  d  162 

4.  Synodical  Conference 747  716 

5.  United  Norwegian 252  d  i 

INDEPENDENT  SYNODS: 

6.  Ohio 160  183 

7.  Buffalo 6  9 

8.  Hauge's 37  37 

9.  Eielsen's  (i) 9  52 

10.  Texas  (i) n  14 

11.  Iowa  (2) 433          824 

12.  Norwegian 58          250 

13.  Michigan  (3) 16  13 

14.  Danish  in  America d  61        d  65 

15.  Icelandic 7  13 

16.  Immanuel 24  29 

17.  German  Augsburg  (4) d  49        d  23 

18.  Suomai,  Finnish 3  35 

19.  Finnish  Apostolic  (5) 

20.  Finnish  National  (5) 

21.  Norwegian  Free 112         300 

22.  Danish  United 48         100 

23.  Slovakian  (5) 

24.  Church  of  the  Lutheran  Brethren  (5) 

25.  Jehovah 6  6 

Independent  Congregations 38        d  31 

Total 2,172       2,427 

d  Decrease.        (i)  Not  in  existence  in  1890.       (a)  Included  in  General  Council  in  1800. 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


455 


Two  DECADES. — Continued. 

Ending  in  1900.  Gains  in  Ten  Years  Ending  in  1910. 

Communicants.  Ministers.                     Churches.                Communicants. 

16,142  115                            185                            33,041 

12,504  783                        1,199 


155,648 
22,051 

177,699 


523 
60 


583 


d  16 


<f  46 


50,000 
6,826 

56,826 


34,949 

117 

209 

102,851 

1,182 

34 

78 

10,282 

31,555 

302 

4l6 

102,823 

223,876 

684 

706 

185,252 

10,028 

189 

343 

31,964 

7,857 

128 

180 

50,068 

758 

2 

6 

2OO 

d  2,190 

55 

135 

23,817 

2,800 

<*3 

<*26 

d  1,670 

1,700 

10 

18 

I,IOO 

74,058 

94 

116 

32,535 

n,475 

130 

261 

33,073 

d  i,935 

<*53 

^78 

d  9,547 

diSi 

ii 

53 

3,052 

3,568 

5 

13 

<*859 

538 

<*33 

d  44 

<*3,6i8 

d  7,010 

.... 

.... 

9,663 

21 

124 

6,452 

62 

73 

11,000 

.... 

20 

40 

6,000 

38,000 

63 

75 

d  18,000 

5,007 

26 

26 

3,494 

.... 

17 

30 

9,5oo 

.... 

12 

16 

i,  800 

350 

3 

5 

750 

d  16,953 

5 

1,000 

429,095 

1,896 

2,780 

583,319 

(3)  Dissolved  after  1900. 

(4)  Dissolved  before  1900. 

(5)  New  bodies. 

456     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES, 

TABLE  IV.— NET  GAINS  IN 

DENOMINATIONS.  Gains  in  Ten  Years 

SCANDINAVIAN  EVANGELICAL  BODIES:  Ministers,    churches. 

1.  Swedish  Evangelical  Mission  Covenant  ( i )..          265          270 

2.  Swedish  Evangelical  Free  Mission  (i) 

3.  Norwegian  Evangelical  Free  (2) 

Total 265          270 

MENNONITES: 

1.  Mennonite 82  42 

2.  Bruederhoef 

3.  Amish 37  27 

4.  Old  Amish 4  3 

5.  Apostolic 

6.  Reformed 

7.  General  Conference 33  31 

8.  Churches  of  God  in  Christ 

9.  Old  (Wisler) 

10.  Bundes  Conference 4  4 

1 1 .  Defenceless 2  2 

12.  Brethren  in  Christ 45  14 

Separate  Conferences  (3) 

Total 207         1 23 

METHODIST: 

1.  Methodist  Episcopal 1,368  3,388 

2.  Union  American  Methodist  Episcopal 93  120 

3.  African  Methodist  Episcopal 2,531  1,506 

4.  African  Union  Methodist  Protestant 66  61 

5.  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion 1,590  319 

6.  Methodist  Protestant 188  470 

7.  Wesleyan  Methodist d  5  164 

8.  Methodist  Episcopal,  South 1,188  1,524 

9.  Congregational  Methodist 175  180 

10.  Congregational  Methodist  (Colored)* 

11.  New  Congregational  Methodist 172          349 

12.  Zion  Union  Apostolic 

13.  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal 261       d  220 

14.  Primitive 14  12 

15.  Free 265         324 

1 6.  Reformed  Methodist  Union  Episcopal 

17.  Independent  Methodist 

18.  Evangelist  Missionary* i        ip 

Total 7,907      8,207 

(i)  Not  reported  in  1890.         (2)  New  bodies.        (3)  Included  in  General 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


457 


Two  DECADES. — Continued. 

Ending  in  1900. 

Communicants. 


30,000 


30,000 


Ministers. 
112 


328 


Gains  in  Ten  Years  Ending  in  1910. 


Churches. 

20 
133 
150 
303 


Communicants. 

IO,OOO 

l8,000 

4,OOO 

32,000 


5,365 


d72 


d77 


2,950 

d  134 

d  67 

d  5,411 

4oo 

66 

21 

2,605 

.... 

d2 

d2 

d  209 

25 

d  9 

.... 

399 

4,725 

15 

14 

1,266 

.... 

di 

gj 

.... 

i 

"d6 

45 

1,562 

d  5 

3 

d  417 

320 

6 

3 

d  209 

i,84o 

d6 

9 

d  152 

35 

1,908 

17,187 

dio6 

<*69 

d  3,930 

505,837 

1,489 

2,204 

440,671 

13,221 

13 

IOO 

3,000 

222,737 

5oi 

d  103 

d  175,462 

148 

94 

37 

437 

186,483 

333 

i,392 

io,945 

41,725 

d  236 

4,723 

709 

3 

65 

i,977 

258,414 

622 

2,120 

382,759 

n,235 

12 

3 

d  4,471 

d  5 

^319 

2,941 

d  133 

^33X 

d  2,218 

.... 

3 

18 

713 

75,589 

840 

1,424 

29,749 

1,785 

ii 

797 

5,182 

197 

219 

4,820 

40 

58 

4,000 

.... 

d6 

d  12 

d  1,408 

1,059 

d  48 

d  13 

d  2,010 

1,327,065 

3,719 

7,225 

698,703 

Council  in  1890.        d  Decrease.        *  Dissolved  after  1900. 


458     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  IV.— NET  GAINS  IN 

Gains  in  Ten  Years 
DENOMINATIONS.  Ministers.     Churches. 

MORAVIAN  BODIES: 

1.  Moravian 3  28 

2.  Union  Bohemians  and  Moravians* . . . .         .... 

Total ~~3        ~~l8 

Non-Sectarian  Bible  Faith  Churches* 

PENTECOSTAL  BODIES: 

1.  Pentecostal  Church* 

2.  Other  Pentecostal  Associations* 

Total.. 


PRESBYTERIANS: 

1.  Northern 1,236  742 

2.  Cumberland d  265  166 

3.  Cumberland  (Colored) 57  176 

4.  Welsh  Calvinistic d  n  d  29 

5.  United 187  45 

6.  Southern 332  568 

7.  Associate 

8.  Associate  Reformed,  South d  29  15 

9.  Reformed  (Synod) d  2 

10.  Reformed  (General  Synod) 4  3 

11.  Reformed  (Covenanted) d  3 

12.  Reformed  in  United  States  and  Canada 

Total 1,511  1,681 

PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL: 

1.  Protestant  Episcopal 665  1,402 

2.  Reformed  Episcopal 22  d  5 

Total 687  1,397 

REFORMED: 

1.  Reformed  (Dutch) 132  47 

2.  Reformed  (German) 194  143 

3.  Christian  Reformed 28  46 

4.  Hungarian  Reformed . . . .  . . . . 

Total 354  236 

*  Not  in  existence  in  1900. 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


459 


Two  DECADES. — Continued. 


Ending  in  1900. 

Communicants. 


Gains  in  Ten  Years  Ending  in  1910. 
Ministers.  Churches.  Communicants. 


3,036 


3,036 


16 

3 


So 


di 
15 
14 

204 


3,123 
771 


3,894 
6,396 


.... 

700 

428 

20,000 

.... 

n5 

30 

I,42O 

TT: 

815 

458 

21,420 

195,209 

1,810 

2,467 

345,281 

15,252 

^679 

d  1,387 

d  65,  192 

17,044 

d75 

d  204 

d  11,934 

^570 

2 

d  10 

1,607 

21,499 

94 

79 

19,109 

46,169 

233 

365 

56,030 

dg 

d  267 

2,843 

2 

ii 

2,673 

^784 

12 

2 

^335 

398 

di6 

*x7 

d  i,  600 

di 

3 

"*8 

I 

2 

d  10 

297,068 


1,383 


1,299 


345,365 


178,302 

827 

179,129 


475 
d6 

469 


2 

1,153 


14,624 

38,813 

5,626 


59,063 


38 

152 

42 

18 
250 


65 

77 
44 
16 

202 


9,221 
54,285 
10,910 

5,253 
79,669 


d  Decrease. 


460     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  IV.— NET  GAINS  IN 

DENOMINATIONS.  Gains  in  Ten  Years 

SALVATIONISTS!  Ministers.     Churches. 

1.  Salvation  Army 2,361          334 

2.  American  Salvation  Army 


Total 2,361          334 

Schwenkfelders 

Social  Brethren /..-.•        .... 

Society  for  Ethical  Culture i 

Spiritualists 

Theosophical  Society -..-.-  82 

Unitarians 29  32 

UNITED  BRETHREN: 

1.  United  Brethren d  434         435 

2.  United  Brethren  (Old  Constitution) 88          d  g 


Total ^346         426 

Universalists 22      d  186 

Independent  Congregations 


Grand  total 32,365    30,859 


TABLE  V.— SUMMARY  OF  NET 

Gains  in  Ten  Years 
DENOMINATIONS.  Ministers.  Churches. 

Adventists 141  529 

Baptists 9,925  7,402 

Brethren  (Dunkards) 900  92 

Brethren  (Plymouth) 

Brethren  (River) 24  .... 

Buddhists 

Catholic  Apostolic 

Catholic,  Eastern  Orthodox 39  38 

Catholic,  Western 2,701  2,035 

Christadelphians ....  .... 

Christians d  284  93 

Christian  Catholic  (Dowie) 55  50 

d  Decrease. 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


461 


Two  DECADES. — Continued. 

Ending  in  1000. 

Communicants. 


10,748 


10,748 


236 

2,305 
3,251 


Ministers. 


6,765,497 


Gains  in  Ten  Years  Ending  in  1910. 

Churches.  Communicants. 


776 

233 

6,349 

59 

20 

436 

835 

253 

6,785 

3 

4 

544 

d2 

d  3 

349 

7 

i 

1,150 

666 

104,970 

,  .  .  . 

dS 

IOO 

14 

29 

<*458 

57 

^445 

44,043 

316 

d  241 

d  6,659 

Ill 

723 


27,702 


37,384 


GAINS  FOR  Two  DECADES. 


Ending  in  1900. 
Communicants. 
28,214 
815,283 
38,399 

Gains  in  Ten  Years  Ending 
Ministers.                     Churches. 
d3$2                             202 

6,594                   5,887 

441                              107 
89 

in  1910. 
Communicants. 
6,941 
1,069,885 
10,653 
3,905 

108 

3,165 
3,436 
331,500 
3,730,937 
135 

d  21,800 
<*  34,135 

1,312 

41                       dg 
IS                        27 
d62                       14 
173                      183 
5,239                   i,i99 
...                           7 

97 
39,56i 
2,468,651 

5,556 
40,000 

d  158                  d  188 
d  20                     d  33 

462     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  V.— SUMMARY  OF  NET  GAINS 


DENOMINATIONS. 


Gains  in  Ten  Years 
Ministers.  Churches. 


Christian  Missionary  Association ....  ....  .... 

Christian  Scientists 914  249 

Christian  Union ....                 

Church  of  God  (Winnebrennerian) ...  d  62  101 

Churches  of  the  Living  God .... 

Church  Triumphant  (Schweinfurth)..  ....  d  12 

Churches  of  the  New  Jerusalem 24  19 

Communistic  Societies ....  d  i 

Congregationalists 567  756 

Disciples  of  Christ 2,575  3*282 

Evangelical  Bodies 120  292 

Faith  Associations ....  .... 

Free  Christian  Zion  Church  (Colored)  ....  .... 

Friends 166  37 

Friends  of  the  Temple .... 

German  Evangelical  Protestant i  3 

German  Evangelical  Synod 229  259 

Jewish  Congregations 101  37 

Latter-Day  Saints d  143  540 

Lutherans 2,172  2,427 

Scandinavian  Evangelical  bodies ....  265  270 

Mennonites 207  123 

Methodists 7,907  8,207 

Moravians 3  28 

Non-Sectarian  Bible  Faith  Churches.  

Pentacostal  bodies 

Presbyterians i>5ii  1,681 

Protestant  Episcopal 687  i>397 

Reformed 354  236 

Salvationists r . . .  2,361  334 

Schwenkfelders .... 

Social  Brethren ....                 

Society  for  Ethical  Culture i 

Spiritualists ....  .... 

Theosophical  Society 82 

Unitarians 29  32 

United  Brethren d  346  426 

Universalists 22  d  186 

Independent  Congregations ....  .... 

Total 32,365  30,859 

d  Decrease. 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


463 


FOR  Two  DECADES.  —  Continued. 


Ending  in  1900. 

Communicants. 


Gains  in  Ten  Years  Ending  in  1910. 
Ministers.  Churches.  Communicants. 

d  10  d 


40,206 

1,268 

112 

'  *O 

634 

d  57 

•»  /  ot 

36,166 

15,489 

49 

IOI 

15 
68 

3,475 
4,286 

^384 

584 

d  39 

dll 

d  21 
do 

1,635 
d  i  738 

118,589 
508,931 
24,025 

420 

1,722 
134 

241 

426 

'  52 
146 

104,040 
314,792 
24,727 

9^72 

20 

ic. 

n,952 

13 

d  i 

4 

4,558 
36 

344 
16,142 

I2,C.O4. 

14 

783 

ii 

185 
1,100 

d  1,796 

177,699 
429,095 
30,000 
17,187 
1,327,065 
3,036 

583 
1,896 
328 
d  106 

19 

CQ 

^46 

2,780 
303 

7,225 
14 

204 

56,826 

583,319 
32,000 

d  3,930 
698,703 

3,894 
6,^06 

8ic 

458 

21,4.20 

297,068 
179,129 
59,063 
10,748 

1,383 
469 
250 
835 

•7 

1,299 
1,153 

202 
253 

345,365 
218,752 
79,669 
6,785 

XAA 

dl 

24O 

236 

7 

I 

666 

1,150 
IO4.07O 

2,305 
3,251 
40,654 

3,545 

14 
^259 

213 

29 
<f  686 
in 
723 

100 

^458 
37,384 
^589 

34,547 

6,765,497 


27,098 


27,702 


7,861,492 


464     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  VI. — SHOWING  NET  GAINS  IN  COMMUNICANTS  IN 
THE  TWENTY  YEARS,  1890-1910,  IN  THE  ORDER  OF 
INCREASE,  5,000  AND  UPWARD. 

DENOMINATIONS. 

1.  Roman  Catholic 

2.  Southern  Baptist 

3.  Methodist  Episcopal 

4.  Disciples  of  Christ 

5.  Methodist  Episcopal,  South 

6.  Presbyterian  (Northern) 

7.  Colored  Baptist 

8.  Northern  Baptist 

9.  Lutheran  Synodical  Conference 

10.  Protestant  Episcopal 

11.  Congregational 

12.  Latter-Day  Saints  (Utah  branch) .  . . 

13.  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion. . . 

14.  Greek  Orthodox 

15.  Churches  of  Christ,  Disciples 

1 6.  Lutheran  General  Synod 

17.  Lutheran  General  Council 

1 8.  Lutheran  Synod  of  Iowa 

19.  Colored  Methodist  Episcopal 

20.  Spiritualist 

21.  Presbyterian  (Southern) 

22.  Reformed  (German) 

23.  United  Brethren 

24.  Christian  Scientist 

25.  United  Evangelical 

26.  Lutheran  Synod  of  Ohio 

27.  Armenian  Apostolic 

28.  German  Evangelical  Synod 

29.  African  Methodist  Episcopal ....... 

30.  Russian  Orthodox 

31.  Methodist  Protestant 

32.  Lutheran  Norwegian  Synod 

33.  Lutheran  United  Norwegian  Synod. . 

34.  United  Presbyterian 

(1)  Not  including  the  newer  branch.  (3)  Included  Iowa  Synod  in  1890. 

(2)  Total  number  repo.-ted  in  1906.  (4)  Total  number  reported  in  1910. 
(5)  Total  number  reported  in  1910.    Body  not  in  existence  in  1890. 


Net  Gain. 

Per  Cent. 

6,183,680 

99 

1,003,000 

78 

946,508 
(i)  5&7,p65 

42 
104 

641,173 

53 

540,490 

69 

441,176 

33 

410,263 

5i 

409,128 

115 

396,726 

75 

222,629 

43 

205,648 

142 

197,428 

44 

159,900 

(2)  156,658 

137,800 

84 

(3)  134,378 

41 

(4)  106,593 

.  . 

105,338 

81 

104,970 

233 

102,199 

56 

93,098 

46 

81,208 

40 

76,372 

£U  : 

(5)  73,399 

57,925 

83 

49,665 

49,183 

26 

47,275 

10 

46,496 

344 

46,448 

33 

44,548 

80 

41,992 

35 

40,608 

43 

GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES. 


465 


TABLE  VI.—  SHOWING  NET  GAINS  IN 

COMMUNICANTS 

IN   THE 

TWENTY  YEARS,  1890-1910,  IN  THE  ORDER  OF  INCREASE,  5,000 

AND  UPWARD.  —  Continued. 

DENOMINATIONS. 

Net  Gain. 

Per  Cent. 

35.  Syrian  Orthodox  

(l)  40,000 

36.  Swedish  Evangelical  Covenant  

(l)  40,000 

37.  Conservative  Dunkards  

38,899 

64 

38.  Seventh-Day  Adventist  

36,131 

125 

39.  Primitive  Baptist  Colored  

(l)  35,076 

40.  Servian  Orthodox  

(i)  35,000 

41.  Independent  Congregations  

34,547 

.  . 

42.  Latter-Day  Saints,  Reorganized.  .  .  . 

28,877 

133 

43.  Freewill  Baptists  

28,714 

242 

44.  Hauge's  Lutheran  Synod.  

(i)  21,627 

45.  Norwegian  Free  Lutheran  Synod  

20,000 

136 

46.  Roumanian  Orthodox  

(l)  20,000 

47.  Bulgarian  Orthodox  

(l)  2O,OOO 

.  . 

48.  Pentecostal  

(l)  20,OOO 

.  . 

49.  Orthodox  Friends  

19,417 

24 

50.  Churches  of  God  (Winnebrennerian) 

18,964 

84 

51.  Swedish  Evangelical  Free  

(l)   18,000 

52.  Salvation  Army  

17,097 

200 

53.  Christian  Reformed  

16,536 

133 

54.  Union  American  Methodist  Episcopal 

l6,22I 

712 

55.  Suomai,  Finnish  Lutheran  

(l)  16,115 

56.  Polish  Catholic  

(l)  15,473 

57.  Jewish  

(2)  12,504 

.  . 

58.  General  Baptist  

12,238 

57 

59.  Lutheran  United  Synod,  South  

11,464 

60.  Finnish  Apostolic,  Lutheran  

(l)  11,000 

61.  Progressive  Dunkards  

10,518 

173 

62.  Free  Methodist  

10,002 

45 

63.  Slovakian  Synod,  Lutheran  

(l)  9,500 

64.  Danish  United  Synod,  Lutheran.  .  .  . 

8,501 

243 

65.  Congregational  Methodist  

6,764 

77 

66.  Non-Sectarian  Bible  Faith  

(3)  6,396 

67.  Moravian  

6,159 

52 

68.  Finnish  National,  Lutheran  

(4)  6,000 

69.  General  Conference,  Mennonite  

5,991 

106 

70.  Christian  Catholic  (Dowie)  

(3)  5,865 

(1)  Not  in  existence  or  not  reported  in  1890. 

(2)  Represents  only  heads  of  families. 

(3)  Not  in  existence  or  not  reported  in  1800. 

(4)  Not  in  existence  or  not  reported  in  1890. 


Total  number  in  1910. 
Total  number  in  1906. 


466     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  VI. — SHOWING  NET  GAINS  IN  COMMUNICANTS  IN  THE 
TWENTY  YEARS,  1890-1910,  IN  THE  ORDER  OF  INCREASE,  5,000 
AND  UPWARD. — Continued. 


DENOMINATIONS. 


Associate  Reformed   Synod,   South, 

Presbyterian 

Hungarian  Reformed 

Cumberland  Presbyterian,  Colored. . 

Apostolic  Christian 

Separate  Baptist 

Japanese  Buddhist 

Old  Amish,  Mennonite 

Universalist 

Danish  in  America,  Lutheran  Synod. . 

Texas  Synod,  Lutheran 

Unitarian 

Icelandic  Synod,  Lutheran 

Wesleyan  Methodist 

Christian  Workers  (Colored) 

Primitive  Methodist 

Theosophist 

Plymouth  Brethren  II 

New  Catholic  Apostolic 

Separate  Mennonite  Conferences 

Saints  of  Christ,  Baptist  (Colored).. 

Synod  of  Lutheran  Brethren, 

Brethren  in  Christ,  Mennonite 

Mennonite 

Catholic  Apostolic 

Pentecostal  Associations 

New  Jerusalem,  General  Convention 

Ethical  Culture 

Missionary  Church  Association,  Faith 

Reformed  Episcopal 

Bundes  Conference,  Mennonite 

Eielsen's  Lutheran  Synod 

Jehovah  Synod,  Lutheran 

Reformed  Catholic 

Welsh  Calvinistic  Presbyterian 

Brethren  in  Christ  (River  Brethren). 


72. 
73- 
74- 
75- 
76. 

77- 
78. 

79- 
80. 
81. 
82. 

83- 
84. 

85- 
86. 
87. 
88. 
89. 
oo. 
91. 
92. 

93- 

94. 

95- 
96. 

97- 
98. 
99. 
100. 

IOI. 
IO2. 
103. 
104. 
105. 

(1)  Not  in  existence  or  not  reported  in  1800.    Total  number  in  1906. 

(2)  Not  in  existence  or  not  reported  in  1890. 

(3)  A  new  body. 


Net  Gain. 

Per  Cent. 

(l)  5,^53 

65 

(i)  4,'558 

3,581 
(l)  3,165 

39 

224 

3,005 
2,956 

2,871 
(2)  2,800 

147 
6 

25 

2,793 
2,709 
2,686 
(i)  2,676 

2,582 

4 
136 
16 

54 

2,405 

2,333 

(l)    2,020 
(l)    1,908 
(l)    1,823 
(3)    1,  800 

1,688 

*   * 

(i)  1*420 

1,405 
1,386 
(i)  1,256 

•; 

i,i55 

1,130 

(2)  1,100 

•  • 

I,IOO 

1,037 
987 

> 

GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES.  467 


TABLE  VI.— SHOWING  NET  GAINS  IN  COMMUNICANTS  IN  THE 
TWENTY  YEARS,  1890-1910,  IN  THE  ORDER  OF  INCREASE,  5,000 
AND  UPWARD. — Continued. 

DENOMINATIONS.  Net  Gain.      Per  Cent. 

106.  Advent  Christians 983 

107.  Buffalo  Synod,  Lutheran 958 

108.  Heavenly  Recruit  (Faith  Association)  (i)  938 

109.  Church  of  Christ  in  God  (Colored) . .  (i)  858 
no.  General  Church  (New  Jerusalem).  . .  (i)  814 
in.  Bohemian  and  Moravian  Union (i)  771 

112.  Apostolic  (Churches  of  Living  God).  (i)  752 

113.  New  Congregational  Methodist 723 

114.  Zion  Union  Apostolic  (Methodist).. .  713 

115.  Peniel  Mission,  Faith (i)  703 

116.  Plymouth  Brethren  1 644 

117.  African  Union  Methodist  Protestant  585 

118.  Schwenkfelders 544 

119.  Apostolic  Faith  Movement (i)  538 

120.  United  Baptist 489 

121.  Plymouth  Brethren  III 489 

122.  Metropolitan  Church  Association.  . .  (i)  466 

123.  Plymouth  Brethren  IV 439 

124.  American  Salvation  Army (i)  436 

125.  Voluntary  Missionary  (Colored) ....  (1)425 

126.  Reformed  Mennonite 424 

127.  Christian  Congregation,  Faith (i)  395 

128.  Social  Brethren 349 

1 29.  Hepzibah  Faith (i)  293 

130.  United  Zion's  Children,  River  Breth- 

ren    224 

131.  Old  Order,  River  Brethren 209 

132.  Amana  Society 156 

133.  Christadelphian 135 

134.  Defenceless  Mennonite in 

135.  Churches  of  God   in    Christ,  Men- 

nonite    91 

136.  Seventh-Day  German  Dunkards 46 

137.  Old,  Mennonite 45 

138.  Friends  of  Temple 36 

139.  Reformed  Presbyterian  Covenanted.  3 

(i)  Reported  since  1890.     Census  returns  of  1906. 


468     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

TABLE  VII. — SHOWING  NET  LOSSES  IN  THE  TWENTY 
YEARS,  1890-1910,  BY  DECREASE  AND  BY  DISSOLUTION. 

BY  DISSOLUTION: 

1.  Michigan  Synod,  Lutheran 11,482 

2.  German  Augsburg  Synod,  Lutheran 7,oio 

3.  Evangelist  Missionary  (Methodist) 2,010 

4.  Christian  Missionary  Association 754 

5.  Old  Catholic 665 

6.  Church  Triumphant  (Schweinfurth) 384 

7.  Congregational  Methodist  (Colored) 319 

8.  Harmony  (Communistic) 250 

9.  Apostolic,  Mennonite 209 

10.  Church  Triumphant  (Communistic) 205 

11.  Separatist  (Communistic) 200 

12.  Christian  Commonwealth  (Communistic) 80 

13.  Altruist  (Communistic) 25 

14.  New  Icaria  (Communistic) 21 

15.  Adonai  Shomo 20 

BY  DECREASE: 

1.  Cumberland  Presbyterian (i)  46,940 

2.  Evangelical  Association (2)  24,647 

3.  Primitive  Baptist (3)  19,036 

4.  Free  Baptist 17,018 

5.  Christian 16,244 

6.  Independent  Congregations,  Lutheran 1 5,953 

7.  Old  Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit  Baptist 12,070 

8.  Christian  Union -. 4,309 

9.  United  Brethren  (Old  Constitution) 3, 170 

10.  Immanuel  Synod,  Lutheran 3,080 

11.  Amish,  Mennonite 2,461 

12.  "Hicksite,"  Friends. 2,397 

13.  Baptist  Church  of  Christ 1,838 

14.  German  Evangelical  Protestant 1,452 

15.  Independent  Methodist 1,408 

16.  Shakers  (Communistic) 1,212 

17.  Reformed  Presbyterian  (General  Synod) 1,202 

1 8.  Reformed  Presbyterian  (Synod) 1,119 

19.  Seventh-Day  Baptist 1,024 

20.  Churches  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ  (Adventist) .  .  .  748 

21.  Evangelical  Adventists 666 

22.  Life  and  Advent  Union,  Adventist 509 

23.  "Wilburite"  Friends 449 

(i)  Many  united  with  Northern  Presbyterian  Church,  1906-7.       (2)  Due  to  division. 
(3)  Due  to  separate  report  of  Colored  Primitive  Baptists. 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES.  469 

TABLE  VII.— SHOWING  NET  LOSSES  IN  THE  TWENTY  YEARS, 
1890-1910,  BY  DECREASE  AND  BY  DISSOLUTION. — Continued. 

24.  Old  Order  Dunkards 411 

25.  Associate  Presbyterian 267 

26.  Six  Principle  Baptist 206 

27.  Bruederhoef,  Mennonite 77 

28.  Primitive  Friends 61 

29.  Church  of  God,  Adventist 36 

30.  Reformed  Presbyterian  in  U.  S.  and  Canada 2 

TABLE  VIII.— SHOWING  GAINS  IN  COMMUNICANTS  BY 
DENOMINATIONAL  FAMILIES  OR  GROUPS  IN  THE 
TWENTY  YEARS,  1890-1910. 


DENOMINATIONS.  Gain. 


Per- 


centage. 

1.  Adventist 35,155  58 

2.  Baptist 1,885,168  51 

3.  Brethren  (Dunkards) 49,052  66 

4.  Brethren  (Plymouth) 3,905  59 

5.  Brethren  (River) 1,420  41 

6.  Buddhists (i)  3,165 

7.  Catholic  Apostolic 3,533  253 

8.  Catholic,  Eastern  Orthodox (i)  371,061 

9.  Catholic,  Western 6,199,588  99 

10.  Church  of  the  Living  God  (Colored) (i)  4,286 

11.  Churches  of  the  New  Jerusalem 2,219  31 

12.  Communistic  Societies d  1,777 

13.  Disciples  of  Christ 823,723  128 

14.  Evangelical  bodies 48,752  37 

15.  Faith  Associations (i)  9,572 

16.  Friends 16,510  15 

17.  Latter-Day  Saints 234,525  141 

18.  Lutherans 1,012,414  82 

19.  Scandinavian  Evangelical (i)  62,000 

20.  Mennonite 13,257  32 

21.  Methodist 2,025,768  44 

22.  Moravian 6,930  60 

23.  Pentecostal  bodies (i)  21,420 

24.  Presbyterian 642,433  50 

25.  Protestant  Episcopal 397,881  74 

26.  Reformed 138,732  45 

27.  Salvationists 17,533  201 

28.  United  Brethren 78,038  35 

d)  Either  entirely  new  or  of  such  large  growth  by  recent  immigration  as  to'give  percentage 
no  significance.        d.  Decrease. 


470     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


TABLE  IX. — NEW  BODIES  NOT  IN  EXISTENCE  OR  NOT 
REPORTED  IN  1890. 

DENOMINATIONS.  ^Tl^IO^3 

1.  Primitive    Baptist    Colored    probably    included    in 

Primitive  Baptists  (White)  in  1890 35,076 

2.  Churches  of   God   and   Saints  in   Christ  (Colored), 

Baptist,  1896 1,823 

3.  Japanese  Buddhists 3,165 

4.  New  Apostolic,  1862  (in  Germany) 2,020 

5.  Syrian  Orthodox,  by  immigration 40,000 

6.  Servian  Orthodox,  by  immigration 35,ooo 

7.  Roumanian  Orthodox,  by  immigration 20,000 

8.  Bulgarian  Orthodox,  by  immigration 20,000 

9.  Polish  National  Catholic,  out  of  Roman  Catholic,  1904  1 5,473 

10.  Christian  Catholic  (Dowie),  1896 5,865 

11.  Christian  Workers  for  Friendship  (Colored),  1899. . .  2,676 

12.  Apostolic  Church  of  the  Living  God  (Colored) 752 

13.  Church  of  Christ,  Living  God  (Colored) 858 

14.  General  Church,  New  Jerusalem,  1892 814 

15.  Churches  of  Christ,  by  division  of  Disciples  of  Christ  156,658 

1 6.  United  Evangelical  Church,  by  division  of  Evangelical 

Association,  1894 73,399 

17.  Apostolic  Faith  Movement,  1900 538 

18.  Peniel  Missions 703 

19.  Metropolitan  Church  Association,  1894 466 

20.  Hepzibah  Faith  Association,  1892 293 

21.  Missionary  Church  Association,  1898 1,256 

22.  Heavenly  Recruit  Church,  1885 938 

23.  Apostolic  Christian  Church 4,558 

24.  Christian  Congregation,  1899 395 

25.  Voluntary  Missionary  Society  (Colored),  1900 425 

26.  Free  Christian  Zion  Church  (Colored),  1905 1,835 

27.  Eielsen's  Lutheran  Synod,  1846 1,130 

28.  Texas  Lutheran  Synod,  1895 2,800 

29.  Finnish  Apostolic  Lutheran  Synod 11,000 

30.  Finnish  National  Lutheran  Synod,  1900 6,000 

31.  Slovakian  Lutheran  Synod,  1901 9, 500 

32.  Church  of  the  Lutheran  Brethren,  1900 1,800 

33.  Lutheran  Jehovah  Conference 1,100 

34.  Swedish  Evangelical  Mission  Covenant,  by  immigra- 

tion and  withdrawal  from  Lutheran  bodies,  1885. .  40,000 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES.  471 


TABLE  IX. — NEW  BODIES  NOT  IN  EXISTENCE  OR  NOT  REPORTED 
IN  1890. — Continued. 

DENOMINATIONS.  Communicants 

in  IQIO. 

35.  Swedish  Evangelical  Free  Mission,  by  immigration 

and  withdrawal  from  Lutheran  bodies,  1885 18,000 

36.  Norwegian  Evangelical  Free,  very  recent 4,000 

37.  Reformed  Methodist  Union  Episcopal  Church,  1896.  4,000 

38.  Union  of  Bohemian  and  Moravian  Brethren,  by  im- 

migration, 1903 771 

39.  Non-Sectarian  Churches  of  Bible  Faith 6,396 

40.  Pentecostal  Church  of  the  Nazarene,  1907 20,000 

41.  Hungarian  Reformed,  by  withdrawals  from  German 

Reformed,  Presbyterian,  Congregational  Churches, 

1904 5,253 

42.  American  Salvation  Army,  by  division,  1884 436 


GROWTH  OF  COLORED  ORGANIZATIONS. 
TABLE  X. — SUMMARY  OF  COLORED  BODIES  AND  CHURCHES. 

COLORED  DENOMINATIONS.  Ministers.  Churches,      ^^te™' 

Colored  Baptist 12,637  17,323  1,790,165 

Colored  Primitive  Baptist  c 1,480  797       35,076 

United  American  Freewill  Baptists  c. .  .  .  136  247        14,489 

Church  of  God  and  Saints  of  Christ  c... .  75  48         1,823 

Churches  of  the  Living  God  c 101  68         4,286 

Voluntary  Missionary  Society  c n  3            425 

Free  Christian  Zion  c 20  15         1,835 

Union  American  Methodist  Episcopal. . .  138  255        18,500 

African  Methodist  Episcopal 6,353  5,527      500,000 

African  Union  Methodist  Protestant. . . .  200  125         4,000 

African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion  c 3,488  3,298     547,216 

Colored  Methodist  Episcopal 2,901  2,857      234,721 

Zion  Union  Apostolic  c 33  45         3,059 

Reformed  Methodist  Union  Episcopal  c .  40  58         4,000 

Cumberland  Presbyterian  Colored  c 450  400       30,000 

Total  colored  denominations. .  28,063  31,066  3,189,595 

c  Census  of  1006. 


472     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

TABLE  X.  —  SUMMARY  OF  COLORED  BODIES  AND  CHURCHES.  — 

Continued. 

COLORED  CHURCHES  IN  OTHER  DENOMINATIONS.  Ministers.  Churches.  ^^n^1"" 

Adventist  bodies  .....................  10          31  364 

Northern  Baptist  .....................  753         905  112,874 

Free  Baptist  .........................  69         195  10,876 

Christians  ...........................  30          91  7,545 

Churches  of  God  .....................  5           14  329 

Congregational  .......................  72         170  11,233 

Disciples  of  Christ  ....................  71         129  9,705 

Churches  of  Christ  ...................  20          41  1,528 

Lutheran  bodies  ......................  3            7  239 

Methodist  Episcopal  ..................  2,179      4,438  299,402 

Methodist  Protestant  .................  91           65  3,144 

Wesleyan  Methodist  ..................  9           19  1,258 

Presbyterian  Northern  .......  .........  279        417  27,799 

Presbyterian  Southern  ................  29          40  1,183 

Protestant  Episcopal  ..................  98         193  19,098 

Reformed  Episcopal  ..................  21           38  2,252 

Roman  Catholic  ......................  20          36  35,235 

Miscellaneous  ........................  19          31  1,670 

Total  colored  churches  in  other  --- 

denominations  .............  *3,778    f6,86o  1  545,  734 


SUMMARY.  Ministers.  Churches. 

Colored  denominations  ................    28,063    31,066  3,189,595 

Colored  churches  in  other  denominations      3,778     6,860      545,734 
Total  .......................    31,841    37,9263,735,329 

Compared  with  the  returns  of  the  census  of  1890,  those  of  1910 
show  increases  as  follows: 

r*\*    ..  i~ 

Churches. 

Colored  denominations,  1910  ...............     31,066      3,189,595 

Colored  denominations,  1890  ...............     19,631      2,303,351 

Increase  ..........................    n,435         886,244 

Colored  churches  in  other  denominations,  1910      6,860         545,734 

Colored  churches  in  other  denominations,  1890     4,139         370,826 

Increase  ..........................      2,721          174,908 

Colored  denominations,  increase  ............  u>435  886,244 

Colored    churches    in   other   denominations, 

increase  .............................  2,721  174,908 

Total  increase  in  twenty  years  .....  14,156  1,061,152 

*  Many  figures  in  this  column  are  estimates. 

t  Many  of  the  entries  are  from  the  census  of  1006. 


GENERAL  STATISTICAL  SUMMARIES.  473 


MEMBERSHIP     OF     THE     LEADING     RELIGIOUS 
BODIES  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES  ACCORD- 
ING TO  THE  LATEST  CENSUS. 


THE   AREA    OF    THE    CIRCLE    REPRESENTS   THE  CHURCH 

MEMBERSHIP    OF    THE     COUNTRY,    THE    SEVERAL 

SECTORS    THE    PROPORTIONAL    STRENGTH 

OF  THE    SEVERAL   DENOMINATIONS. 


474     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


IDAHO 


ILLINOIS 


INDIANA 


RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES.     475 


MISSISSIPPI 


MISSOURI 


MONTANA 


476     RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


OKLAHOMA 


OREGON 


PENNSYLVANIA 


RELIGIOUS  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES.     477 


WEST  VIRGINIA 


WISCONSIN 


WYOMING 


INDEX. 


Adler,  Felix,  348. 

Adonai  Shomo,  in,  117. 

Advent  Christians,  5. 

Adventists.     History  and  Polity,  1-4. 

Relation  to  Freewill  Baptists,  33. 

Relation  to  the  Adonai  Shomo,  117. 

Divisions,  4. 

Summary  Statistics,  14. 
Adventists,  Age-to-Come,  13. 
Adventists,  Evangelical,  4. 
Adventists,  Seventh-Day,  8. 
Adventists,  The  Church  of  God,  n. 
Adventists,  The  Churches  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  13. 
Advent  Union,  Life  and,  12. 
Albright,  John,  139. 

Albrights,  The.     The  Albright  People,  139. 
Allen,  Richard,  237. 
Altruists,  in,  1 1 6. 
Amana  Society,  in,  113. 
American  Christian  Convention,  92. 
American  National  Convention,  28. 
Amish  (Mennonite),  213. 
Amish,  The  Old  (Mennonite),  214. 
Ammen,  Jacob,  213. 
Anabaptists,  17. 
Ann  Lee,  in. 

Apostolic,  The  (Mennonite),  215. 
Armenian  Church,  81. 
Asbury,  Francis,  227. 

Associate  Church  of  North  America  (Presbyterian),  305. 
Associate  Reformed  Synod  of  the  South  (Presbyterian),  306. 
Ballou,  Hosea,  369. 
Baltimore  Association,  45. 
Baptist  Church  of  Christ,  43. 

Baptists.     History  and  General  Characteristics,  16-18. 
Relation  to  Other  Bodies,  16. 
Divisions,  18. 

479 


480  INDEX. 

Baptists.     Summary  Statistics,  53. 

Baptists,  Anti-Mission,  45. 

Baptists  (Colored),  Regular,  27-29. 

Baptists,  Free  Communion,  33. 

Baptists,  Freewill,  33-36. 

Baptists,  General,  38-40. 

Baptists,  General  Six-Principle,  30. 

Baptists,  Missionary,  42. 

Baptists  (North),  Regular,  22-24. 

Baptists,  Old  School,  45. 

Baptists,  Old  Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit  Predestinarian,  48-54. 

Baptists,  Original  Freewill,  37. 

Baptists,  Primitive,  45-48. 

Baptists,  Regular,  17,  18. 

Baptists,  Regular,  General  Characteristics  and  Principles,  18-22. 

Baptists,  Regular  Predestinarian,  50. 

Baptists,  Regular  Two-Seed  Predestinarian  Primitive,  50. 

Baptists,  Sabbatarian,  31. 

Baptists,  Separate,  41. 

Baptists,  Seventh-Day,  31. 

Baptists  (South),  Regular,  25-27. 

Baptists,  United,  41. 

Bible  Bigots,  221. 

Bishop  Andrew,  254. 

Book  of  Covenants,  171. 

Book  of  Mormon,  165. 

Book  of  Worship,  109. 

Brethren  in  Christ,  55. 

Brethren,  Old  Order  of  Yorker,  57. 

Brethren  (Plymouth)  I.,  60. 

Brethren  (Plymouth)  II.,  61. 

Brethren  (Plymouth)  III.,  62. 

Brethren  (Plymouth)  IV.,  64. 

Brethren,  The  River.     General  History,  55. 

Summary  Statistics,  58. 
Brethren,  Yorker,  57. 
Brigham  Young,  166. 
Brothers  of  Christ,  89. 
Brueder  Gemeinde  (Mennonite),  218. 
Bruederhoef  (Mennonite),  213. 
Burial  Hill  Declaration,  120. 
Catholic  Apostolic  Church,  84. 
Catholic  Church,  The  Greek,  79. 
Catholic  Church,  The  Old,  82. 
Catholic  Church,  The  Reformed,  83. 


INDEX.  481 

Catholic  Church,  The  Roman,  Statistics  in  the  United  States,  76-79. 
Catholics,  General  Definition,  66. 
Channing,  William  Ellery,  366. 
Chemung  Association,  45. 
Chinese  Temples,  86. 
Christadelphians,  89. 
Christian  Church,  South,  93,  94. 
Christian  Connection,  The,  91. 
Christian  Missionary  Association,  95. 
Christian  Science  Journal,  The,  96. 
Christian  Scientists,  96. 

Christians,  The.     Origin  and  General  Characteristics,  91-93. 
Statistics,  93. 

Withdrawal  of  the  Christian  Church,  South,  93. 
Christian  Union  Churches,  99. 
Churches  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus  (Adventist),  13. 
Church  of  God  ( Adventist),  n. 
Church  of  God  in  Christ  (Mennonite),  217. 
Church  of  God,  The  (Winebrenner),  102. 
Church  Triumphant  (Koreshan  Ecclesia),  in,  117. 
Church  Triumphant,  The  (Schweinfurth),  105. 
Coke,  Thomas,  223,  227. 
Communistic  Societies.     Definitions  and  Divisions,  in. 

Summary  Statistics,  118. 
Conference,  The  General  (Mennonite),  216. 
Conference,  The  Synodical  (Lutheran),  190. 
Congregational  Churches.     History,  Polity,  Relation  to  Presbyterians,  1 19- 

123. 

Summary  Statistics,  123,  124. 
Conservative  Brethren,  133. 

Consolidated  American  Missionary  Convention,  28. 
Council,  The  General  (Lutheran),  184. 
Cyrus  Teed,  117. 

Danish  Association  in  America,  The  (Lutheran),  201. 
Danish  Church  in  America,  The  (Lutheran),  199. 
Declaration  of  Christian  Doctrine,  145. 
Defenseless,  The  (Mennonite),  219. 
Disciples  of  Christ,  125-127. 

Relation  to  Other  Bodies,  91,  125. 

Principles,  126. 

Statistics,  127. 

Dunkards.     History  and  General  Characteristics,  130-133. 
Divisions,  133. 
Summary  Statistics,  138. 
Eddy,  Mrs.  Mary  Baker  G.,  96. 


482  INDEX. 

Embury,  Philip,  226. 
Engle,  Jacob,  55. 

Episcopal  Church,  The  Protestant.     History,  317-321. 

Doctrine,  319. 
Statistics,  322. 

Episcopal  Church,  The  Reformed,  Origin,  Principles,  and  Statistics,  325-327. 
Ethical  Culture,  The  Society  for,  348. 
Evangelical  Association,  139. 

Evangelist  Missionary  Church,  The,  (Methodist),  270. 
Evidence  from  Scripture  and  History  of  the  Second  Coming  of  Christ  about 

the  year  1843,  2. 
Falckner,  Justus,  176. 
Fee,  John  G.,  95. 
Flack,  Elder  J.  V.  B.,  99. 

Foreign  Mission  Convention  of  the  United  States,  28. 
Fox,  George,  143. 
Friends.     General  Description,  143,  144. 

Divisions,  144. 

Summary  Statistics,  152. 
Friends  (Hicksite),  147. 
Friends  of  the  Temple,  153. 
Friends  (Orthodox),  145. 
Friends  (Primitive),  150. 
Friends  (Wilburite),  149. 

General  Association  of  the  Western  States  and  Territories,  28. 
German  Baptists,  129. 

German  Evangelical  Protestant  Church,  155. 
German  Evangelical  Synod  of  North  America,  156. 
Goet water,  John  Ernest,  175. 
Greek  Orthodox  Church,  81. 
Harmony  Society,  in,  114. 
Hauge's  Synod  (Lutheran),  196. 
Herrnhut,  272,  273. 
Herr,  John,  215. 
Herrites,  216. 
Hicks,  Elias,  147. 
Hoffmann,  Christopher,  153. 
Hoffmannites,  153. 
Holdeman,  John,  217. 
Holliman,  Ezekiel,  17. 
Holy  Club,  221. 
Hookers,  214. 
Huter,  Jacob,  213. 

Independent  Churches  of  Christ  in  Christian  Union,  99. 
Irving,  Edward,  84. 


INDEX.  483 

Jews.     History  in  the  United  States,  159-161. 

Summary  Statistics,  164. 
Jones,  Abner,  91. 
Joseph  Smith,  165. 
Judicial  Testimony,  299. 
Koreshan  Ecclesia,  in,  117. 
Latter-Day  Saints.     History,  165,  166. 
Divisions,  166. 
Summary  Statistics,  173. 

Latter-Day  Saints,  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of,  167. 
Latter-Day  Saints,  Reorganized  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of,  170. 
Lecturing  Brethren,  90. 
Lutheran  Congregations,  Independent,  204. 
Lutherans.     General  Survey,  175-177. 
Summary  Statistics,  205. 
Lutheran  Synods,  Independent,  193. 
Mack,  Alexander,  129. 
Makemie,  Francis,  279. 
Massachusetts  Metaphysical  College,  96. 
McKendree,  William,  228. 
Mennonite  Church,  212. 
Mennonites.     History,  206-212. 

Protest  against  Slavery,  207. 

Articles  of  Faith,  208. 

Polity,  210. 

Divisions,  212. 

Summary  Statistics,  220. 
Menno  Simons,  206. 
Methodists.     History,  221-225. 

Peculiarities,  223. 

Conferences,  224. 

Articles  of  Religion,  225. 
Divisions,  225. 

Summary  Statistics,  271. 

Methodists,  Colored,  The  Congregational,  261. 
Methodist  Connection  of  America,  The  Wesleyan,  250. 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  226-236. 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  252. 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  The  African,  237. 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  The  Colored,  262. 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  The  Union  American,  236. 
Methodist  Episcopal  Zion  Church,  The  African,  242. 
Methodist  Protestant  Church,  The,  246. 
Methodist  Protestant  Church,  The  African  Union,  242. 
Methodist  Church,  The  Primitive,  265. 


484  INDEX. 

Methodists,  The  Congregational,  259. 

Methodists,  The  Free,  267. 

Methodists,  The  Independent,  269. 

Methodists,  The  New  Congregational,  261. 

Midnight  Cry,  The,  2. 

Millennial  Church  or  United  Society  of  Believers,  17 1. 

Miller,  William,  I. 

Missourians,  191. 

Moravians.     History,  272-275. 

Government,  273. 

Doctrine,  274. 

Statistics,  276. 
Mother  Lee,  112. 
Muhlenberg,  Henry  M.,  176. 
National  Christian  Scientist  Association,  96. 
New  England  Missionary  Convention,  28. 
New  Hampshire  Confession,  19,  20. 
New  Icaria  Society,  111-116. 
New  Jerusalem,  The  Church  of,  107. 
New  Lights,  312. 
New  Mennonites,  216. 

Norwegian  Church  in  America  (Lutheran),  197. 
Norwegian  Church,  The  United  (Lutheran),  203. 
Oberholzer,  John,  216. 
O'Kelley,  James,  91. 
Old  Order  Brethren,  136. 
Old  (Wisler),  The  (Mennonite),  218. 
Open  Brethren,  61. 
Orthodox  Jews,  161. 
Parker,  Daniel,  49. 
Philadelphia  Confession,  19,  20. 
Plymouth  Brethren.      History  and  Doctrine,  59. 
Divisions,  60. 
Summary  Statistics,  65. 

Presbyterian  Church,  Colored,  The  Cumberland,  294. 
Presbyterian  Church  (Covenanted),  The  Reformed,  314. 
Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  and  Canada,  The  Reformed,  314. 
Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  of  America.     History,  279-283. 

Statistics,  283-288. 

Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  (Southern),  302. 
Presbyterian  Church,  The  Cumberland.     History  and  Doctrine,  289-291. 

Statistics,  291-294. 

Presbyterian  Church,  The  General  Synod  of  the  Reformed,  312. 
Presbyterian  Church,  The  Synod  of  the  Reformed,  310 
Presbyterians,  Definition,  Polity,  Divisions,  277-27$ 


INDEX.  485 

Presbyterians,  The  Reformed,  History  and  Polity,  308. 

Presbyterians,  The  United,  298. 

Presbytery  of  Philadelphia,  280. 

Profession  of  Belief,  370. 

Progressive  Brethren,  135. 

Protestant  Episcopal  Bodies,  317. 

Quakers,  143. 

Randall,  Benjamin,  33. 

Rapp,  George,  114. 

Reformed  Bodies,  General  Description,  329. 

Reformed  Church  in  America,  330-333. 

Reformed  Church  of  the  United  States,  333-337. 

Reformed  Church,  The  Christian,  337. 

Reformed  Jews,  The,  162. 

Reformed,  The  (Mennonite),  215. 

Russian  Orthodox  Church,  80. 

Salvation  Army,  Origin,  Character,  Government,  Statistics,  340-343. 

Schweinfurth,  George  Jacob,  105. 

Schwenkfeldians,  The,  344. 

Second  Dose  of  the  Doctrine  of  Two  Seeds,  49. 

Separatists,  111-115. 

Serving  Brethren,  90. 

Seventh-Day  Baptists,  German,  137. 

Shakers,  in. 

Signs  of  the  Times y  The,  2. 

Social  Brethren  Church,  The,  346. 

Spiritualists,  The,  350. 

Statistical  Summaries  for  1895,  441. 

Stone,  Barton  W.,  91. 

Summary  Statistics  by  Denominational  Families,  392-393. 

Summary  Statistics  by  Denominations,  380-391. 

Summary  Statistics  by  States  of  all  Denominations,  378-381. 

Summary  Statistics  of  Churches  in  Cities,  404-440. 

Summary  Statistics  of  Colored  Organizations,  400-403. 

Summary  Statistics  of  Denominations  according  to  Number  of  Communi 

cants,  394-397- 

Summary  Statistics  of  Denominations  according  to  Polity,  398-400. 
Summary   Statistics   of  Denominational  Families  according  to  Number  of 

Communicants,  397. 
Swedenborg,  Emmanuel,  107. 

Synod  of  Ohio  and  other  States,  The  Joint  (Lutheran),  194. 
Synod  in  the  South,  The  United  (Lutheran),  182. 
Synod,  The  Buffalo  (Lutheran),  195. 
Synod,  The  General  (Lutheran),  178. 
Synod,  The  German  Augsburg  (Lutheran),  200. 
Synod,  The  Icelandic  (Lutheran),  aoi. 


486  INDEX. 

Synod,  The  Michigan  (Lutheran),  198. 

Synod,  The  Suomai  (Lutheran),  202. 

Temple  Society,  153. 

Theosophical  Society,  353. 

Thomas,  John,  89. 

Time  Brethren,  3. 

Touro,  Abraham  and  Isaac,  159. 

True  Inspiration  Congregations,  113. 

Trumpet  of  Alarm,  The,  2. 

Uniates,  79. 

Unitarians,  365. 

Unitas  Fratrum,  272. 

United  Brethren  in  Christ,  357. 

United  Brethren  in  Christ  (Old  Constitution),  361. 

United  Brethren,  Origin  and  General  Description,  355-357. 

United  Zion's  Children,  57. 

Unity  of  Brethren  as  Distinguished  from  United  Brethren  m  Christ,  272. 

Universalists,  369. 

Warwick  Association,  45. 

Welsh  Calvinistic  Methodist  Church  (Presbyterian),  296. 

Westminster  Confession,  Revision  of,  282. 

White,  Mrs.  Ellen  G.,  n. 

Wilbur,  John,  149. 

Williams,  Roger,  17. 

Winebrenner,  John,  102. 

Woman-preachers,  34. 

Woodruff,  Wilford,  167. 

Zion  Union  Apostolic  Church  (Methodist),  245. 


Index  to  Introduction. 

PART  I.— RESULTS  OF  THE  CENSUS  OF  1890. 

1.  The  Sources  of  Information  and  the  Plan,  ix-xi. 

Relation  to  the  Census  of  1890. 

Alphabetical  Order  of  the  Denominations  and   Historical   Order 
of  the  Denomination  of  Families. 

2.  The  Scope  and  Method  of  the  Census,  xi-xiii. 

The  Census  of  1880  and  the  Census  of  1890. 
Exhaustive  List  of  Denominations. 

3.  Variety  in  Religion,  xiii-xv. 

Wide  Range  of  Choice. 

Many  Denominations  Differ  Only  in  Name. 


INDEX.  487 

4.  Classification  of  the  Churches,  xv-xviii. 

The  Principle  of  Classification. 
The  Difficulty  in  the  Nomenclature. 

5.  Denominational  Titles,  xviii-xxiii. 

Geographical,  Racial,  Historical,  etc. 

6.  The  Causes  of  Division,  xxiii-xxviii. 

Controversies  over  Doctrine. 
Controversies  over  Administration  and  Discipline. 
Controversies  over  Moral  Questions. 
Controversies  of  a  Personal  Character. 

7.  Analysis  of  Religious  Forces  of  the  United  States,  xxviii-xxxiii. 

Christians  and  Non-Christians. 

Ministers. 

Organizations. 

Services. 

Values. 

Communicants. 

8.  Religious  Population,  xxxiii-xxxv. 

Methods  of  Computation. 

9.  The  Growth  of  the  Churches,  xxxv-xxxviii. 

The  Normal  Condition. 

The  Net  Increase. 

Statistical  Proofs  of  the  Advance  of  Protestant  Christianity. 

10.  How  the  Religious  Forces  are  Distributed,  xxxviii-xliii. 

With  respect  to  Number  of  Communicants,  Value  of  Property, 
Number  of  Organizations  or  Congregations. 

11.  The  Evangelical  and  Non- Evangelical  Elements,  xliii-xlv. 

Classification  according  to  Definition. 

12.  The  General  Statistical  Summaries,  xlvi-1. 

Classification  according  to  Polity,  and  of  Churches  in  the  Cities, 

new  Features. 

Difficulties  with  respect  to  Lutherans. 
Opinions  of  Representative  Men. 

13.  The  Negro  in  his  Relations  to  the  Church,  1-lv. 


PART  II.— THE  GOVERNMENT  CENSUS  OF  1906. 

1.  Sex  in  Membership,  Ivii-lix. 

2.  Value  of  Church  Property,  lix-lx. 

3.  Average  of  Members  to  Church  Edifices,  Ixi. 

4.  Tendency  of  Population  to  the  Cities,  bd-lxii. 

5.  Communicants  in  the  Cities,  Ixii-lxiii. 

6.  Value  of  Church  Property  in  the  Cities,  Ixiii-lxiv. 


488 

.'•'  *•> 

7.  Growth  by  States  in  Communicants,  Ixiv-lxv. 

8.  The  Rate  of  Growth  in  the  South,  Ixv-lxvi. 

9.  The  Largest  Absolute  Incases,  Ixvii-lxviii. 
0.  Effect  of  Miration  Ixt:  / 


io.  Effect  of  Migration, 

PART  III. — THE  RETURNS  £OR  ij^oo  AND  1910  AND  WHAT  THEttfSnow. 

1.  Growth  of  the  Churchejvin  the  Past  Twenty  Years,  Ix^e-lxx.  • 

2.  The  Largest  Absolute'Increases,  Jxxi. 

3.  Growth  of  the  Roman  CathtJfte  Church,  Ixxi-lxxii. 

4.  Religious  Population  in  i9io,.Jxxii-lxxiii.  ./-v: 

5.  Changes  of  Twenty  Ye^ars,  Ixxirt^lxxv.  •*  ...,.,  .:<f^r 

6.  Order  Accordmg  to  Demominational  Families  or  Grou$B,*1xxv-lxxvi. 

»ik.*  *       f 

PART  IV. — DbniN^NT  RELIGIOUS  ELEMENTS/^"""* 


i.  The  Characteristics  <rf''American  Christianity,  Ixxvii-lxxx. 

The  Phenomenal  Growth  of  the  Church  of  Rome  and  its  Relation 

to  Protestant  America. 
a.  Evangelical  Christianity  Dominant,  Ixxx-lxxxi. 

3.  Evangelical  Christianity  Systematically  Organized,  Ixxxi-lxxxii. 

Opportunity  for  Work  in  Foreign  Countries.  , 

Opportunity  for  Work  at  Home.  f  ^      ' 

Development  of  Work  among  the  Young  Peoplf. 

4.  Evangelical  Christianity  Evangelistic,  IxxxiiHxxxiv. 

Importance  of  Christian  Character  and  of  Christian  Work. 
The  Church  of  To-day  is  a  Gospel  Church.  +t 

The  Age  of  Higher  Biblical  Criticism. 
Educational  Evangelism. 

5.  Co-operation,  Federation  and  Union,  Ixxxiv-lxxxvi. 

6.  How  the  Church  Affects  Society,  Ixxxvi-lxxxvii. 

As  a  Property-holder,  Corporation,  Public  Institution,  etc. 


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